Resources

Explore your history.

Maybe you’ve always heard that your great-great-(great?)-grandfather was one of the first firefighters in NYC. But can you validate the family lore? If the story is true, how do you bring it to life more than 150 years after the FDNY’s founding? Did your ancestor live through the prior Great New York City fires of 1835 and 1845? Does your family’s heritage go all the way back to the Dutch settlers who were fire wardens in the 1600s?

I’ve Got a Story in Mind, But How Do I Go Deeper?

Researching my own family’s connections with history, I’ve found abundant resources to validate memories and stories, provide details, and enliven the past. In each edition of my bi-monthly newsletter Intersections, I’ll feature a resource.

For now, consider the list of resources I’ve put together below.

ARCHIVES & HISTORICAL SOCIETIES

FAMILY RECORDS

  • Bibles, Diaries and Journals, Letters, Yearbooks

    Even my mother’s 1936 high school autograph book is revelatory.

  • Genealogy Organizations

LIBRARIES & MUSEUMS

  • Library of Congress

    Don’t let the name stop you. There are all kinds of collections in the LOC – my colleague studied the papers of Harry Houdini there. 

  • University & College Libraries

  • Private Libraries

  • American Alliance of Museums 

When you’re ready to share a story you’ve selected and researched, one big question remains. How? For me, the first answer is to write about it, but that poses more questions. Do I try to publish it? If yes, where? And on and on. 

I’d love to develop together a list of ideas for sharing our stories, to help all of us – me included! I’ll explore avenues in each of my bi-monthly newsletters, and also add resources to this part of the website. In the meantime, and always, please feel free to contact me to suggest an idea or describe your experience. 

Sometimes the possibilities for telling a story seem endless, sometimes you can't think of any options. A colleague often reminds me to ask, "Aside from family members, who else might this story matter to?" This question not only generates ideas but also focuses them. 

I Know My Story, But What Should I Do With It? How Should I Share It?

POSSIBLE WAYS TO SHARE

  • Clubs and School Groups

  • Magazines

  • Newspapers

  • Podcasts

  • Radio Shows

  • Social Media

  • Special Interest Journals

  • Storytelling Organizations