How people share family stories
Explore recording family memories, asking permission and keeping track of uncertain details.
A family photograph can show who was present, but it may not explain what happened before or after the picture was taken. Talking to someone who remembers the occasion can add another kind of information. Recording such conversations is one way to collect an oral history.
The Library of Congress suggests asking a relative for permission before recording a conversation about their life. Its family-story guidance also recommends a quiet place and identifying the people, date and location at the beginning of a recording.
Here is an invented example. Daniel asks his aunt about her first job. Instead of interrupting with a new question each time she pauses, he gives her time to continue. Afterwards, they listen together. She corrects the name of a street and explains which details she is unsure about.
Daniel keeps those uncertainties in his notes rather than guessing the answers. He also asks which parts she is comfortable sharing with other relatives. In this example, the recording preserves a personal account. It does not turn every remembered detail into a fact that has been checked elsewhere.
Words to take with you
- occasion
- A particular event or time.The photograph was taken on a special occasion.
- relative
- Someone in your family.My aunt is my oldest relative.
- permission
- Agreement that allows an action.Ask permission before recording someone.
- interrupt
- To speak while someone else is speaking.Please do not interrupt the speaker.
- account
- A spoken or written description of an experience.She gave an account of her first journey.
Check your understanding
Choose an answer, then check each question.
Use your English
Write three respectful questions you could ask someone about a family memory.
Say your answer aloud or write two or three sentences.