Why is this on my mind? Well, I recently interviewed my grandfather about his time in the Marine Corps after he graduated from high school. That's his picture in China in 1948 above. No one had done this to my knowledge, and no one really knew anything about it. This brings me to my first point: you've got to ask in order to know. I'm not saying you need to ask about the really personal things, or the scary things right off, but ask if they want to talk about it. I started my conversation with my grandfather by asking him if he wanted to talk about it. Only proceed if they are willing.
You'll find that with a close family member things just flow, one question leads to another. As the conversation progressed, I found my grandfather sharing specific stories about himself or the other Marines he served with. These were incredibly revelatory about who he is, and who he was then. I'd recommend some kind of a voice recorder if the person you are interviewing wouldn't mind. You'll find yourself entranced by the stories, and not focused on recording them!
Of course, war stories are one of the things Americans love to hear and to talk about. But there are so many significant stories that don't involve war. I was speaking with my dad's mother a while back about her experiences growing up in rural Texas. I was shocked to find out that her home was not electrified until 1949 - she did her schoolwork by a kerosene lantern - and she was born in the 20th century. She also told me about how long the wash took (three days) and how her mother had a gasoline heated and powered iron, and how terrified she was of that. These are things that would have been lost if I would not have asked, and things that people generally don't ask about. Just because it doesn't seem exciting on the surface doesn't mean it isn't significant.
Don't assume someone else will start researching your family history, because they probably won't. Don't assume someone else has done it. Better yet, do it twice, even if someone else has already done it - you'll probably find something new. Researching, compiling, and presenting your family history is your responsibility. And, do it now - there is no better time. How much longer will our grandparents be with us? We don't know that - so start talking to your family now.
If your family member has already passed, there is much you can do beyond an interview. Jen recently took the initiative and started researching her grandfather Gordon's service in World War II. Where did she start? By talking to her grandmother. Marie saved many of Gordon's important service documents, that included his serial number. With this information, we sent a request to the National Archives for his full service record - and that started with a simple conversation.
Why should we do this? Well, much family history is significant and is lost very easily. Beyond that, and speaking from my own experience, it helps to give us a sense of place and identity in the world. It also makes a cool project for Christmas gifts, and will help to tighten the bond between family members.
I love this post and your enthusiasm about such an important idea. Not too long ago, I informally began asking my grandmother questions about her parents (right from Italy) on a family car-trip. It was so neat to hear her answers and to progress on to things that she had never talked about. I'm so grateful for that.
ReplyDeleteLovely post. I am on pins and needles to receive my grandfather's information. I have already learned so much over the past few months!
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