Digital Stories from an Oral History

Person to interview:  Judith Pearl White, my mother
Why?  My mother is 72 years old, a mother of six, 5 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren.  My mother has shared numerous stories of her childhood, but no one has ever captured her life in a digital format.
Possible questions to ask:

• Where were you born?  Who were your parents? grandparents?  siblings? 
• What types of jobs did your parents have during your childhood? teens? adult?
• How many different places and where have you lived from birth to now?
• Where did you attend school?  Elementary, Middle, High, College, 
• What types of jobs have you had during your life? Salaries?
• When and where were you married?
• What are the significant differences in the economy over the past 50 -60  years?
• What were your parents'/grandparents' expectations of you?
• What president made the greatest impact on you?  Why?
• What kinds of entertainment were made available during your teens?
• Was religion important in your family?
• What is the ethnic or cultural background of your parents?
• What family celebrations were important in your life?

Please describe a positive scene from childhood in detail.  What led up to this event? When and where did it happen?  Who was involved?  What were you thinking and feeling?  Why is it an important event?  What impact did it have on you?
Please describe a negative scene from childhood in detail.  What led up to this event? When and where did it happen?  Who was involved?   What were you thinking and feeling?  Why is it an important event?  What impact did it have on you?
Describe a particular event from your teen-aged years that stands out in your memory today.  This can be positive or negative. What led up to the event?  What happened?  Where and when?  Who was involved?   What were you thinking and feeling?  Why is it an important event?  What impact did the event have on you.
Describe a vivid or important memory from any time in your adult years.  Again, this can be positive or negative.  It can be about anything – family, work, whatever.  The scene stands out in your mind today as being especially vivid or important.  Please describe what led up to the event.  Then describe the scene in detail.  What happened?  Where and when?  Who was involved?  What were you thinking and feeling?  Why is it an important event?  What impact has the event had on you?


Plan to interview my mother at her home, during the week of October 23.