Do you know where you come from? I don’t mean the neighborhood you grew up in or even where you were born. Do you know where your parents or grandparents came from? What routes did they take? What is your history? When I became a historian, I learned pretty early on to get the answers you’re seeking in life you need to ask the right questions. Last Sunday was Mother’s Day in the United States. Even though I talk to my mother quite often, I spent even longer on the phone with her this past Sunday. As she was reminiscing about something, I began to ask her deeper questions about our family history. My mother has an impeccable memory and an archive of phenomenal objects she’s collected throughout her life. With each conversation, I have a deeper understanding of how my family came to be. I have notebooks upon notebooks from the conversations I’ve had with my mother over the years so I thought I’d share some tips on how you can compose your own family archive!
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✍🏾Join my community of writers, dreamers, and people who just need to get stuff doneThings to keep in mind when conducting oral history interviews
I’ve been having these conversations with my mom since I was a teenager and each time we sit down I am learning something new, discovering a new side of who my mother is and was (especially before I was born). Don’t rush, it takes time to assemble an archive.
Depending on your family’s past, some difficult topics or subjects may come up. Remind the person you are speaking to that you are here to listen and understand, not judge or interrogate. We all have things we did differently in the past– have compassion!
I usually open the notes app on my phone if it’s an impromptu conversation. If it is a planned conversation, I ask for permission to record audio for my note-taking purposes. There are times when my phone becomes a distraction, so I turn it off. For this reason, I always have a physical notebook and pen.
My mother can speak unprompted for a very long time. The answer to one question could take 10-15 minutes. However, there are other people I’ve interviewed who need more questions to get the conversation going and the memories flowing. It’s important to understand what the person needs. Type of Questions to Ask
Focus on one specific period or theme in your person’s life. This is what I like to call an “anchor.” For example, how would you describe your high school experience? or how has your understanding of motherhood changed from when you first had us and now? Then you can start to build questions around the anchor you choose. Some follow-up questions about high school:
Some follow-up questions on motherhood:
Now that you have established your topic, be sure to ask contextual questions like:
My mother has kept so many old photographs, mementos, and objects from over the years. This past week she showed me some of the coins she had in her pocket when she came to the United States. These objects carry memories and have a life of their own. Take photos of them if you can! ConclusionMy favorite part about being a historian is not just jumping from archive to archive, but creating one of my own as I look into my past. I hope this guide encourages you to speak to loved ones and build your own archives. Until next time,
p.s. Hi, I’m Shae and I’m a first-gen PhD candidate at Harvard! I love writing these posts for you all in my spare time. If you found this helpful, you can support my work by buying me a coffee here: https://buymeacoffee.com/shaethehistorian Thanks for supporting an emerging writer ✍🏾🍵 1 Learn more about the Pomodoro technique here: https://todoist.com/productivity-methods/pomodoro-technique SHAE THE HISTORIAN is a newsletter for history lovers seeking to search the past, learn something new, and contribute to the archive of life. If you enjoyed this story, feel free to share it with someone. Stay curious, friends!
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subota, 18. svibnja 2024.
How to discover your family history
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