It's Family History Month!Connect With Your Roots
Who are you? Where did you come from? If you've ever wondered about the answers to those questions, October is the perfect time to find out. It's Family History Month.
Make the Past Come AliveJust like a tree, you have roots. And just as a tree's roots are hidden beneath the ground, your roots are hidden in the past. Digging up your roots can be a lot of fun. Your past is filled with secrets and stories that can tell you a lot about how you came to be. To find them, you will need to become a type of detective called a genealogist. Genealogists study the history of families.
Ira Wolfman is a genealogist and the author of a book for kids called Climbing Your Family Tree. Wolfman has traced his family history back more than 250 years! He thinks it's important for kids to get in touch with their past.
"Genealogy puts you at the center of a long and interesting story—that of your family's history," he says. "By asking questions about your family, you delve into the details of that story. You'll find unexpected treasures—such as the meaning of your family names or the sharing of family traits."
Where Should I Start My Journey?Think of the whole process as a treasure hunt. "Start by writing down your own history—the story of your life," says Wolfman. That is the easiest part of the puzzle.
Good questions to ask yourself—or your parents—are:
- Where and when were you born?
- Where did your family live at the time?
- How did your arrival in the family affect your siblings or other relatives?
- Why were you given your name?
As you answer these questions, you might realize that you don't know as much as you thought!
Get TalkingOne of the most exciting parts of researching your family's history is that you can interview relatives. "You may stumble onto interesting anecdotes that show how your family was affected by history—or what role your family members played in historic events," says Wolfman.
Let's say you want to interview your grandfather. First, prepare by learning as much as you can about him. Give him a few questions to think about before the interview.
Write down a list of questions you want to ask him, such as:
- When and where were you born?
- What were your parents' names?
- Who were your brothers and sisters?
- Where did you go to school?
- How did you meet my grandmother?
- Where did you get married?
You want the interview to have structure, while also leaving room for discussion. Sometimes, it can be the small details and stories that are the most interesting to hear about. Be sure to ask for specific names and dates. And don't be afraid to get off the topic—you never know what you might find out!
Family TreesFamilies are like trees. They have roots, many different branches, and new growth. And like trees, families come in many different shapes and kinds. Your family tree might include stepparents or half brothers or half sisters. You might know some branches of your family very well but not know other branches at all. If you were adopted, you belong to more than one family tree. You started out on one and have now become attached to another. Wolfman's book contains plenty of information about researching family histories that don't fit the usual mold—and that includes many, many families!
Whatever your family tree looks like, it's the tree that produced you. The more you find out about it, the more you find out about yourself.
"I've never stopped," says Wolfman. "I've discovered new family members, new stories, and new bits of our history. It's fun, and it's something you can build on for the rest of your life."
- Find family heirlooms—Does your family have any items that have been passed down for generations? Are there stories associated with those heirlooms?
- Travel back in time—Plan a family trip to a special place in your family history, such as the house your grandma or grandpa grew up in, or your mom’s elementary school.
- Make a family cookbook—Are there any family recipes that have been used for generations? Assemble a small collection of family recipes and cook a special dinner.
- Create a photo album—What did your parents look like when they were your age? What about your grandparents? Spend time looking through old photo albums with your family, and label pictures that aren’t already identified with names and dates.
- Draw a map—Using a world map or a U.S. map, pinpoint the places where your ancestors lived.
Vocabularygenealogy—the study of families and ancestors
anecdotes—personal accounts of incidents or events
heirlooms—things of value that have been in a family for a long time and passed down from one generation to the next
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