Californian Pioneer Certificate Program

Presented by Colin Whitney

Palm Springs Genealogical Society presents "Californian Pioneer Certificate Program" presented by Colin Whitney.

This free program will be from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. at the Mizell Center in their Community Room.

If you have an ancestor who was in California before 1850, you may qualify for a California Pioneer Certificate. Colin Whitney, who chairs the California Pioneer Certificate Program, will join us to explain how the program works and what documentation you need to qualify.

Colin Whitney was born and raised outside London, England. In 1962 he emigrated to the United States, earning a doctorate and professorship in physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His career in the aerospace industry brought him to California in the 1970s where he retired as a technical director. Finding his step-grandmother’s DAR application sparked his interest in genealogy, which has become a major preoccupation for him. He is a member of the North San Diego Genealogical Society, a board member of the San Diego Genealogical Society, Chair of the California Pioneer Certificate Program and a member of other genealogical societies in the United States, England and Ireland. 

Assisted Listening Devices (ALDs) are instruments designed to amplify sounds to make it easier for persons who are hearing‑impaired to enjoy a library program.

Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity of the City of Palm Springs, should contact the ADA Coordinator, as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event.