Let’s begin in the beginning
It’s difficult to gather information about our complex histories involving African Diaspora families. Besides the scattered data that we collect from government and private records, asking questions of our relatives — especially the elderly ones — has been proven to be useful in legacy recording.
Here are my top “ice breaker” recommended questions for family genealogists:
- What is your best childhood memory(ies?)
- What do you recall about your parents or grandparents?
- What family traditions did you have growing up?
- What do you about our family veterans, particularly those in segregated units?
- What do you remember about church, spiritual practices, and how we kept the faith in our family?
- Do you know any stories about how our ancestors came to this country or even the region you grew up in?
- What do you remember about family gatherings or reunions?
- Please share actual family heirlooms, keepsakes, and any photos with stories we may not have seen before now.