Capturing Stories -- A Great Holiday Tradition!

Capturing Stories -- A Great Holiday Tradition!

Since its founding in 2003, StoryCorps’ mission …

… is to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world.

There is a short introductory video about “why” StoryCorps came into being; it’s worth a few minutes to watch.

With the holiday season fast approaching and many family meals happening, this is a great time to “listen” (and record) stories.

The StoryCorps DIY page talks about how you can do this with your cell phone or computer, tape recorder, or other equipment probably already sitting in your house, or, there is now a StoryCorps app that you can download and use.

You can find guidance on using the StoryCorps app via Getting Started (PDF), Interview Tips (PDF), and Strategies for Groups and Organizations (PDF).

Whether it’s your own family or that of someone in the community (living in a nursing home, hospitalized, attending senior programs, etc.) capturing the stories of those around us is important to maintaining their legacy while also capturing many moments in our shared global history that are at risk of disappearing forever. 

Let’s try and prevent the loss of more priceless stories.

Maybe your local genealogy society, scout or church group, civic society, etc., can sponsor an event, for the purpose of collecting stories.

Who will you interview this holiday season?

Tell us about your groups plans to sponsor the recording of stories.

Editor’s Note: Read past posts on Upfront with NGS regarding Storycorps here and National Day of Listening here.

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copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.

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NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

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Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to UpFront@ngsgenealogy.org. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.

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Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

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Today is National Day of Listening -- You are Encouraged to Record an Interview With a Loved One

Source: http://www.lowcountryafricana.com/2013/11/22/5-ways-to-celebrate-the-national-day-of-listening/  

Yesterday you ate your turkey (and/or watched a parade, dog show or football game) and today you shopped until you dropped ... Now that all the “official” Thanksgiving activities are checked off and you are relaxing – this might be the perfect time to share family stories!

Did you know that though today is called by many “Black Friday” it is also called “National Day of Listening?”

I have been familiar with StoryCorps for a few years.  The idea of saving our stories, given how many have been lost in my own family alone, has always “struck a chord” with me.

The National Day of Listening is a new national holiday started by StoryCorps in 2008. On the day after Thanksgiving, StoryCorps asks everyone to take a few minutes to record an interview with a loved one. You can use recording equipment that is readily available to you, such as computers, iPhones, and tape recorders. How you do it doesn’t matter!

Everyone is also encouraged to post a memory to Facebook or Twitter or to tape a tribute on youTube or record an interview with a teacher or anyone else you would like to honor.

At no cost, though donations would always be appreciated, one can record an interview of someone in your community and then share it via the Wall of Listening.  This can be an opportunity to visit those in veteran’s homes, senior centers, homeless shelters, and other community centers to make sure that their memories are preserved for the future or just start with the family members with whom you have just shared a Thanksgiving meal!

A Do-It-Yourself video and Guide are available on the site to help you.  The FamilySearch Blog also shares some ideas as does Lowcountry Africana.

And, nothing says that you have to wait until after Thanksgiving!  Any day that you are with family is a great opportunity to record a family story for posterity!

Did you record someone? What was the most special memory/thought they shared with you?

Editor’s Note: Versions of this post were published in 2011 & 2013.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog. Any opinions expressed by guest authors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the view of NGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to UpFront@ngsgenealogy.org. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unless indicated otherwise or clearly an NGS Public Relations piece, Upfront with NGS posts are written by Diane L Richard, editor, Upfront with NGS.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!

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Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter

Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!

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Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter

Tomorrow is National Day of Listening -- You are Encouraged to Record an Interview With a Loved One

source: LowCountry Africana, http://www.lowcountryafricana.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Flyer.png

I have been familiar with StoryCorps for a few years.  The idea of saving our stories, given how many have been lost in my own family alone, has always “struck a chord” with me.

The National Day of Listening is a new national holiday started by StoryCorps in 2008. On the day after Thanksgiving, StoryCorps asks everyone to take a few minutes to record an interview with a loved one. You can use recording equipment that is readily available to you, such as computers, iPhones, and tape recorders.

Everyone is also encouraged to post a memory to Facebook or Twitter or to tape a tribute on youTube.  The key is to somehow document the special memories held by the members of our famly.

At no cost, though donations would always be appreciated, one can record an interview of someone in your community and then share it via the Wall of Listening.  This can be an opportunity to visit those in veteran’s homes, senior centers, homeless shelters, and other community centers to make sure that their memories are preserved for the future or just start with the family members with whom you have just shared a Thanksgiving meal!

A Do-It-Yourself video and Guide are available on the site to help you.

And, nothing says that you have to wait until after Thanksgiving!  Any day that you are with family is a great opportunity to record a family story for posterity!

Did you record someone? What was the most special memory/thought they shared with you?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want to learn more about interacting with the blog, please read Hyperlinks, Subscribing and Comments -- How to Interact with Upfront with NGS Blog posts!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

NGS does not imply endorsement of any outside advertiser or other vendors appearing in this blog.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to UpFront@ngsgenealogy.org. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Google+, Twitter

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com

National Day of Listening -- Thank a Teacher -- 25 November 2011



I have been familiar with StoryCorps for a few years.  The idea of saving our stories, given how many have been lost in my own family alone, has always “struck a chord” with me.

And, until this year, I wasn’t aware of the National Day of Listening (the day after Thanksgiving). For 2011, it is suggested that you take a few minutes to say thanks to a favorite teacher and you are not limited to that. 

Everyone is encouraged to post a memory to Facebook or Twitter or to tape a tribute on youTube or record an interview with a teacher or anyone else you would like to honor.

At no cost, though donations would always be appreciated, one can record an interview of someone in your community and then share it via the Wall of Listening.  This can be an opportunity to visit those in veteran’s homes, senior centers, homeless shelters, and other community centers to make sure that their memories are preserved for the future or just start with the family members with whom you have just shared a Thanksgiving meal!

A Do-It-Yourself video and Guide are available on the site to help you.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

copyright © National Genealogical Society, 3108 Columbia Pike, Suite 300, Arlington, Virginia 22204-4370. http://www.ngsgenealogy.org.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Republication of UpFront articles is permitted and encouraged for non-commercial purposes without express permission from NGS. Please drop us a note telling us where and when you are using the article. Express written permission is required if you wish to republish UpFront articles for commercial purposes. You may send a request for express written permission to UpFront@ngsgenealogy.org. All republished articles may not be edited or reworded and must contain the copyright statement found at the bottom of each UpFront article.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Follow NGS via Facebook, YouTube, Vimeo and Twitter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com.