Interviewing Relatives
Memory . . . is the diary that we all carry about with us.
Oral histories play an important part
in genealogical research. Interviewing family members does something that
looking at documents cannot do: it brings the past alive.
- Why Interview Relatives?
- Preparing for the Interview
- Conducting the Interview
- What Now?
- Related Web Sites
- Lesson Plan: Capturing Your Family’s Story
Oral histories are stories that people
tell about the past. These interviews fill in gaps in genealogical research,
providing crucial information such as places and dates of birth, relationships,
and occupations of ancestors. Of particular value are the stories, anecdotes,
family traditions, and information associated with pictures, documents,
and other records that only interviews provide. Instead of searching through
dusty documents, you hear people tell funny or intriguing stories about
their grandparents, their first jobs, their weddings, and their school
days. Interviewing relatives makes genealogy personal; you learn what it
was like to live in another time and you get to know your elders.
Do your homework! Select the subject of the interview. An older relative, such as a grandparent or great-aunt, is an obvious choice. Choose someone you will be comfortable interviewing. If you have several options, choose subjects who may be able to fill in research gaps. Choosing a good storyteller will make your first interview easy and fun.
After the interviewee you have chosen has accepted your invitation to be interviewed, start collecting background information. Find out when and where the subject was born and get a few facts about the subject’s parents, spouse, children, occupation, and community. Then create a simple information sheet. Also research the time in which the subject lived. A visit to the library to look over a time line, an encyclopedia, books, or videotapes about American history will help. The more you know about your subject, the better the interview will be.
Prepare a list of questions to ask your subject. See the sample list included in the Telling a Family Story handout. Prepare a general set of questions for the people you interview, but have specific questions for each person based on information you think that person can provide. You may want to ask your subjects to bring old family photographs, documents, diaries, or other items to the interview. If you do, be sure to prepare questions about these items.
Some people prefer to take detailed notes; others, to use a tape recorder or camcorder to record interviews. If you plan to use these tools, practice with them before the interview.
The Tips for Taping Family Interviews handout contains valuable pointers for conducting interviews. The following tips bear repeating:
- Make sure the subject is comfortable before the interview begins and knows exactly how the oral history will be used.
- Test tape recorders, microphones, and camcorders immediately before beginning the interview to ensure they are working properly. Label all tapes with the name of the subject and the date.
- Always thank the subject after an interview. Sending a thank-you note is a good idea.
Once you have completed an interview, review your tapes and notes as soon as possible and make a simple index by noting the topics on the tape every five minutes or so. Use the counter on the recorder to note the location of particular topics or answers. Transcriptions can take a lot of time, but might prove useful, especially if the interviews will become part of a larger family history. File the tapes with the index, background information about the subject, and notes made during the interview.
To get even more out of interviews, follow up on clues to more information given by your subject. Perhaps Aunt Millie suggested that Cousin Joe would know more about family land holdings, that her father is a great storyteller, or that Uncle Bob has a lot of old family photos. These important tips can lead to a wealth of needed information.
Although oral histories are a great resource, they cannot replace document research. Memories fade, and interviewees may not be able to provide all the information you request, or they may be unsure of a date or place. It’s important for you to verify the information given during an interview, even when the subject is sure of its accuracy.
First Steps: Interview Family Members
http://www.lineages.com/FirstSteps/Interview.asp
Lineages.com Web site, a major genealogy
reference library and resource center, includes this page of basic information
on conducting genealogical interviews.
The Importance of Oral Histories
http://www.genealogy.com/2_oralhs.html
This article by Dr. Lyman D. Platt discusses
why oral histories are important and offers tips on conducting them.
My History Guidebook: How to Do an Interview
http://www.myhistory.org/guidebook/interview.html
Part of “My History is America’s History,”
a project by the National Endowment for the Humanities, this site offers
tips on preparing for and conducting interviews and includes sample questions.
Oral History Questions
http://www.rootsweb.com/~genepool/oralhist.htm
This list of sample interview questions
is a good place to get ideas.
Suggested Topics and Questions for Oral
Histories
http://www.familytreemaker.com/00000030.html
This page suggests questions and topics
for conducting genealogical interviews.
Tales from the Genealogical Trenches:
Oral Histories
http://www.genealogy.com/2_story.html
This collection of personal testimonials
reflects the importance of oral histories.
?Lesson
Plan: Capturing Your Family’s Story
| Overview: | Prepare for and conduct a genealogical
interview.
|
| Purpose: | Interviewing a family member for a genealogy
project requires a lot of preparation. Conducting the interview takes skills
that many people have not learned, from using a tape recorder to guiding
a conversation in a particular direction. This activity will help your
club members gain experience and confidence in the interview process.
|
| Time: | One club meeting
|
| Objectives: | All competency goals in the N.C. Computer/Technology
Skills Curriculum, all
grade levels. All goals in the Oral and Other Media/Technology Strand Skill Continuums in the N.C. English Language Arts Curriculum, all grade levels. Skills I, II, and III in the N.C. Social Studies Curriculum, all grade levels. |
| Materials: | Telling
a Family Story handout, one copy for each club member
Tips for Taping Family Interviews handout, one copy for each club member Paper, pens or pencils Tape recorder or camcorder, one per pair |
Procedure:
- Have your club members pair up. Each pair should read the questions in the Telling a Family Story handout, then come up with other specific questions to ask family members they plan to interview for their genealogy projects.
- Each member will practice conducting interviews and using a tape recorder or camcorder by interviewing his or her partner for fifteen minutes. The member may use some of the questions on the handout but should also prepare questions specifically designed for the partner. They can prepare for their practice interviews by reading the Tips for Taping Family Interviews handout.
- When each member has conducted an interview, reconvene the group. Have members discuss what was difficult about preparing for and conducting the interviews and what they learned from their experiences.
- If time allows, have the group discuss the following questions: What are the benefits of interviewing family members? What do you hope to learn from your interviews? How will you use them in your genealogy project? How will you decide whom to interview?
- Encourage club members to interview a family member using the techniques learned in this lesson.
Lesson 3 Handouts:
Telling
a Family Story handout
Tips
for Taping Family Interviews handout
Linebar graphic by Vickimouse (http://www.vikimouse.com/)
