Oral History Articles

As women, we  mostly have been raised in cultures that valued modesty and humility, and discouraged pride and self-celebration. For women.

So most women shy away from feeling “worthy” of being included in history and placing the evidence of their lives in archives.

My grandfather helped win the war, became a US citizen, and had a large healthy family. But the granular details around these successes rather undo them. 

Family history gives kids a foothold in history.  Kids see their role within a larger context, and learn the value of their actions and contributions. “Once upon a time there was a farm girl — the youngest of six kids.  She was shy and thought she was ugly.  She had some very glamorous older sisters and some very rowdy older brothers. They all lived in Aroostook County, Maine.

"You were going clink clink clink, and I was going push push push!" That's how I laughingly describe New Year's Eve 2006, and it is true! And it is the very tip of the ice berg -- because she was full term. Our first child stayed behind in the Neonatal Intensive Care...