October is Family History Month

Do Something Special This Year

Imagine a time capsule opened by relatives in the year 2054. Picture a 10-minute video of your life, your goals, and your dreams viewed by family members thirty years from now. Envision unlocking today’s world for a family member you will never meet. That’s the power of family history.

Family History Month was established in the United States after the devastation of 9/11. Our country’s collective shock, fear, anger, and sadness at an attack in America, brought us closer to our families. I was at home not feeling well when the phone rang, “Brenda is your television on? Where is CJ?” No, my television was not on, I was sick and napping. My son was at middle school, where else would he be?

I was oblivious. Turning on the television, I learned what the rest of the world had known for hours. There was an automated call from school in my voicemail messages. All the children at school were safe. In the aftermath, the United States Senate unanimously passed a resolution designating October as Family History Month. Collective grief puts priorities in perspective.

After thirteen years in the West, relocating to Indianapolis in 1993 brought me closer to family. I assumed a self-styled role as the family historian. I collect black and white photographs when family members die if their other survivors agree. I file originals and make a digital copy by family often sharing them as photo album gifts. I also have an extensive collection of family obituaries. It’s not as morbid as it sounds. You can learn a lot about a person’s life in what is written at their death.

October is an occasion to celebrate, explore, or analyze your family tree. Every family is unique and special showing up in varied shapes and sizes. If you have a family with four siblings each member’s experience is going to be different. The youngest sibling may view the family dynamic differently than older brothers and sisters.

It may be interesting to have a single family event viewed through the lens of each family member. For example, each family member could record a quick video of the first holiday season with a new pet, a family road trip to visit relatives out of town, or a family tradition.

Photo by Jochen van Wylick on Unsplash

There are many resources to assist you next month. Public libraries and historical societies will provide programming for family history sleuths. There are also online resources. Here are some websites to get started:

National Archives: Resources https://www.archives.gov/research/genealogy

Genealogy Society: https://www.ngsgenealogy.org/family-history-month/

Family Tree Magazine: https://familytreemagazine.com/projects/family-history-month/

Documenting your family history doesn’t have to be elaborate. It could be a video you send to a child, niece, nephew, or grandchild. It could be family photos you don’t want to go away—so you choose 3 or 4 special ones and give them to a relative who may feel the same way.

One of my friends was gifted with “Storyworth” by her daughter. Every week she answers a question via email. My friend can send photos to accompany her answers. At the end of the year, the company will send her a keepsake book that will be given to her new grandson. At this writing the program costs $99.

Family stories can be told nearly anywhere. They cost us only our time, our memories, and our creativity. They can inspire us, protect us, and bind us to others. So be generous with your stories, and be generous in your stories. Remember that your children may have them for a lifetime. -National Storytelling Network