RALEIGH, N.C. -- On Monday, April 2, the State Library of North Carolina will highlight the first-ever release of pivotal 1940 census data with period music, a 1940 current event quiz, a toy and clothing display from the N.C. Museum of History, films and a presentation by Kelly Karres of the U.S. Census Bureau. The free program, which begins at 11 a.m., will be held in the Genealogical Services Research Room in the Department of Cultural Resources building, 109 E. Jones St., in downtown Raleigh.

“The 1940 Census release is the most significant record to be made available to genealogists since 2002 with the release of the 1930 Census,” said State Librarian Caroline (Cal) Shepard. “This Census is an economic snapshot of the Great Depression and a fascinating look at the United States on the eve of World War II.”

The program will be hosted by the Government and Heritage Library, part of the State Library within the Department of Cultural Resources. Karres is a Data Dissemination Specialist, in the Atlanta Regional Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. Her presentation will examine the availability and usability of Census data, which can help genealogists and researchers connect with family and local history. For more information go to the blog of the Government and Heritage Library, http://www.ghlblog.org.

The census conducted in 1940 marks the only time that the census was conducted during the four term presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Data about individuals is not publicly available for 72 years after collection.

About the State Library of North Carolina:

The State Library of North Carolina (http://statelibrary.ncdcr.gov/index.html) builds the capacity of all libraries across the state, develops and supports access to genealogy and other specialized collections, and provides resources for the blind and physically handicapped.

About the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources:

The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources annually serves more than 19 million people through its 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, the nation’s first state-supported Symphony Orchestra, the State Library, the N.C. Arts Council, and the State Archives. Cultural Resources champions North Carolina’s creative industry, which employs nearly 300,000 North Carolinians and contributes more than $41 billion to the state’s economy. To learn more, visit www.ncculture.com.