Family History – Gathering and Recording Oral Histories of Friends and Families
It’s December 1st as I write this, and the holidays are upon us. Family gatherings can be a bountiful source of stories to share with future generations. There are many options for recording family stories. Using our cell phones is probably the easiest, but this requires some planning to ensure it goes smoothly, and we get the best results.
Museums sometimes offer suggestions for taking down oral histories. The Smithsonian Institute has a short video on how they recommend gathering the stories. They suggest researching the person and preparing beforehand for the interview. These are great ideas, but what if I only have a brief time with my parents or grandparents over the holidays?
Here are 3 easy ways anyone can make the best of the short time we have together to record the valuable stories of your people.
1. Prepare as best you can for the possibility of doing an interview.
Think about who might be at the event – whether it’s relatives you have not seen in a while, or new family members, think about who might be willing to chat, and be recorded, and who would have the best stories to tell.
Create a list of possible OPEN-ENDED questions such as, tell me about the house you grew up in, describe your favorite places to play when you were a kid etc., what do you remember about Uncle Charles? If the interviewee responds with just a yes or no, ask how, why, when, where, who.
Avoid “closed-ended” questions that can end in a YES or NO, or single fact.
Examples, were you there? What was date of that? Did you like that? If you get a short answer, follow up with tell me more, who, what, when, where, how and why. Details make the story much more real!
Once you have a volunteer, ask if there is a quiet place to sit and talk. Make sure the person is comfortable with being recorded. Offer some water or something refreshing to sip on while doing the interview.
2. Ask one question at a time, and allow the interviewee to do the talking.
Try to ask simple questions, and leave time for thoughtful responses. To stimulate their memory, use “statement questions” such as, “In 1978, you traveled to New York to visit your cousins. How did that trip come about? What do you remember about the trip?” Asking for details helps paint a picture of the moment. You can ask about a favorite pet, or car, and describe it for you.
3. Focus on recording their personal experiences, rather than stories about others or that they have heard.
If you’re getting general stories, ask the person to tell about their role, describe how they felt that day or dealt with that crisis, etc.
Let the interviewee do the talking. Try to avoid telling your own stories, “Yes! When I was there….” or offering your own opinions. If asked for an opinion, explain that you want to know their point of view, not yours.
Edutopia has a great page about young people and how they can begin an Oral History project.
Remember to DO SOMETHING with the oral history you recorded.
While this may seem obvious, think about all the thousands of photos we carry around all the time- and never look at! Download it to a computer, create a written transcript of the interview. Ask if there are any photos that would help paint a picture of the person, the location or the events that were discussed.
