May 18 - Conduct an oral history interview

May 18 – Conduct that oral history interview. No elder relatives? Consider talking to family friends or neighbors, or use this day to write down your reflections about a favorite family member.

I have a hard time interviewing relatives. I feel like I am intruding on their personal lives. But I have found that even those people will say they don’t know anything, they manage to tell me a lot. The thing to remember, is don’t spend a lot of time interviewing someone, it wears them out. Have a few questions prepared but let the conversation go where it might lead you. Don’t forget to tape the interview; most laptops have the ability to record conversations. Get permission first. Get the relative to first talk about themselves, where they were born, when to school, met their spouse, where they lived. Then maybe they can share a favorite memory of another relative, such as their parents, their grandparents, aunts, uncles or cousins.