Video Oral Histories – What I learned while interviewing my Dad

Interview your family member

My Dad always had stories to tell, and he was fascinated with our family genealogy. We shared moments talking about family and reviewed findings at the National Archives. As a journalist, it seemed natural for me to try and learn as much as I could. He loved to talk, and he often shared family stories or spoke about his upbringing.

Dad was thrilled when I called him a few years back and asked if I could interview him. It started a series of video sessions in which he told his story. Dad died in July 2012 at 82. I have many memories of our times together. But I also have videos of him recalling his childhood, meeting my mom, what life was like in the Great Depression, and so much more.

It’s not easy to interview a parent. What questions should you ask?  Once I got Dad talking, he opened up. Getting the process started is the hard part.

Here is one of the segments I recorded with my Dad: