Memoirs Serve a Valuable Purpose

The following article from the Grand Forks Herald makes a compelling argument why everyone should record their memoirs and family histories. Time and again, these histories have proven to provide valuable insight into the past.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/184879/

So, record those personal histories. Family members and future historians will thank you for it.

And thanks to Dick Eastman for bringing this article to my attention.

Why I Collect Oral History

The other day I collected an oral history from a man nearing his 80th birthday. After recording a portion of his life story I began to think about the process and the justifications for collecting oral histories. Before I go too far, I should include the disclaimer that yes more than a few people see me as a bit unusual. To quote one, former employer, “Mike is an odd little fellow.” So, I can accept the strange looks and uncomfortable laughter when I tell people I collect oral histories as an avocation, something I do simply because I enjoy it.

But, back to the main point, I met with John the other day and after interviewing him, it occurred to me that the clichés that are thrown out about the importance of oral histories are true. The saying, “when a man dies, a library is burned,” or “there is no such thing as a boring life,” these accurately sum up my thinking about collecting oral histories. Every story is important. Every detail is worth telling and saving. More students of local history, family history, and genealogy ought to be encouraged to collect more oral history.

Every man and woman is an interesting story waiting to be unveiled and recorded. The small dramas in our lives; the major decisions we make; and the challenges that we face all make up a lifetime of fascinating history. And these stories need to be recorded and told. John had some interesting stories to tell: about his military service in Korea and his life after the war. He told me about meeting his wife, raising his children, and working hard to provide for them. Although we only spoke for forty-five minutes, this brief live story is a fascinating study in life and well worth the time to record, transcribe and review.

Collecting oral histories is an interesting process. It provides a sense of achievement and satisfaction to both the collector and the subject. This may be something I do in my spare time, and my friends have accepted me as “that odd little fellow.” But the pleasure of the process encourages me to promote the idea that more people should collect oral histories and save family histories through tapes, cd’s and transcriptions. After all, “there is no such thing as a boring life.”

A Cautionary Tale For All Historians

There is an interesting blog posted for oral historians that may be of interest to a variety of family historians and genealogists, as well.

http://blog.oup.com/2010/03/false-light-lawsuit/

The blog writes of presenting information in false light that could lead to lawsuits and judgements against writers, genealogists, and Family Historians. Be sure to avoid implications of spectacular tales as you write. Although scandal within the family may be interesting, it can also be harmful so we need to use caution as we write our family histories.

And special thanks to the Oral History list-serv for bringing this blog to my attention.

Another Great Family History Story

Here is an interesting story published in the LA times. This article reinforces the idea of "know the neighbors" when doing family history research.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-photo-story1-2010jan01,0,4826756.story?p
age=1

The on-line access to this story may be limited in time, depending on the policies of the LA Times.

Holidays: Best Time To Collect Memories

Okay, the holidays have arrived. Since the end of October we have celebrated Halloween, Day of the Dead, and Veteran’s Day. In the immediate future, we have Thanksgiving, followed by Hanukkah, Kwanza, Christmas, and News Year’s Day. This is truly the time for the family to gather and share memories.

This is truly the perfect time for collecting more information for family history and genealogy. With the family visiting, now is the time to sit down and collect the details about missing members of the family tree. Who out there remembers Aunt Molly? Where did she live? Where is she buried? In addition to the details for the lineage charts and genealogy, we can also collect the family history stories. Who remembers how we celebrated Christmas in Grandma’s House? What were the traditions of the holidays in the 1940s? Did you really receive just a pair of socks and an orange?

So many of these traditions and family stories can be lost if we don’t take the time to record them now. The opportunity is perfect, it is right in front of us. So, bring out the digital recorders and the DVD cameras and interview family members; record their memories and feelings. Someday these memories will truly be the most valuable gifts of the holiday season.

And, remember, once these memories are recorded, be sure to make duplicates of the tapes and the digital recordings. In addition, be sure to transcribe these tapes so that the memories, if not the actual voices will last forever.

If collecting oral history is not in the cards, maybe identifying old family photographs or filling in details on lineage charts might bring the family together. Now is the perfect time to reminisce and share family memories. Bring out the photo albums, or set up the tape, and digital, recorders and ask questions about the family. This may prove to be the best opportunity to collect and save, or build on to, the family history.

Memories of Weather

Now that we have survived the Great Flood of 2009, here in Atlanta, Georgia, I am reminded that as we write memoirs and family histories, we need to keep in mind the impact and influence of weather. We have all heard the stories about our parents, as children having to walk to school in the middle of winter, when the thermometer measured below zero temperatures. Our parents were barefoot and walking uphill, both to and from school, and grateful they were able to do it! But what was it really like? What sort of impact did the weather have on our parents and grandparents? These are important questions to answer.

Just recently, I was interviewing a lady who had lived through, and experienced some of the most deadly hurricanes in Miami, Florida. She was just a young girl when the Hurricane of 1926 hit. Her family stayed in their home, on Cocoa Beach, during the storm that killed an estimated 375 people. Just two years later, her family spent the night in the Cocoa Beach jail house (her father was a police officer) when the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane hit. This storm killed more than 2800 people. Then, seven years later she sat through the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane that killed more than 400 people. Her husband was one of the men volunteering to search for survivors and recover bodies from the train wreckage of the Key West railroad extension. The train, fully loaded with evacuees, was blown off the tracks and into the water off of Upper Matecumbe Key.

Yet, this lady has never been terribly disturbed by the threats of hurricanes. As she told me in her interview, “You know when a hurricane is coming. You can prepare for it and survive. I would rather live with hurricanes than tornados. You never know when the tornados might hit.”

Just this small portion of her interview provides some fascinating and dramatic information. So, you see, consider weather as a topic of discussion in oral histories, memoirs, or family histories. Snow storms or tornados; hurricanes or floods; a discussion of weather and its impact on our lives is always worth discussing.