Writing a Personal History or Family History

A guide to conduction a personal history interview

Knowing where you came from and what your family’s story is an invaluable treasure. If you make a point of recording and writing down you family story it is something that can be cherished for generations. These questions focus on your impression of world events.

Where were you during the Apollo moon landing?
How did the civil right movement effect you?
Where were you when you heard about JFK’s assignation.
Looking back how big of a deal was Watergate?
What did you do during the Vietnam War
What did you do during the Korean War
What did you do during the Arab–Israeli conflict
Where you ever involved in any protests?
Where you every in danger of being drafted?
Did you ever see a riot?
Where were you during the Cuban missile crisis?
How where you effected by the cold war?
Do you remember John Glenn going into orbit?
Do you remember Yuri Gagarin going into orbit?
What was the first TV show you remember seeing?
What was the first Color TV show you remember seeing?
How has the role of women changed in your life time?
How has the role of  men changed in your life time?
How were you effected by inflation?
When did you first use a computer?
What did you think of the Beatles when you first heard them?
What did you think of the Elvis when you first heard him?
What did you think of the Beach Boys when you first heard them?
What did you think of the Frank Sinatra when you first heard them?

These questions are not designed to be a check list they are designed as a starting point for a conversation. Please ask and answer what ever follow up questions come to mind. Remember that some questions may be awkward to ask or answer but if you do not get that information it may be lost forever.

You may also want to look at these other Personal/Family History pages:

General Information
Family
Growing Up
Dating and Marriage
Education
Work and Occupation
Finances
History
Entertainment

Asking the right questions is more important than knowing the answer.                    home

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