Our Story

“If you’re curious about how to go about recording the personal history of your family, look no further. Based on her decades of training and experience as an oral historian, Rachel Seidman has compiled a treasure trove of great project ideas, interview questions, and practical suggestions for anyone trying to learn more about their loved ones’ lives, while they are still here to tell their own stories. Don’t wait to get started– you won’t regret it.” —Michelle T. King, professor of history at UNC Chapel Hill and author of Chop Fry Watch Learn: Fu Pei-mei and the Making of Modern Chinese Food”‘When an elder dies, a library burns to the ground.’ We’ve all heard this adage, but what if we could guard against this kind of blaze? Rachel F. Seidman’s memory-capturing wisdom, shared with generous helpings of both know-how and inspiration, is the guidance we’ve all been waiting for. Please excuse me while I dash off to use what I’ve learned to interview my 90-year-old cousin!” —Megan Smolenyak, genealogist and author of Who Do You Think You Are?: The Essential Guide to Tracing Your Family History“Rachel Seidman’s Our Story is an invaluable guide for anyone interested in uncovering their family’s history. Chock full of practical advice and step by step instructions provided by one of America’s leading oral historians, Our Story is also a beautifully written and deeply inspiring argument for the importance of the past—and of finding our place within it.” —Jill Lepore, author of These Truths: A History of the United States“This book is a tremendous gift to anyone with even a passing interest in family history. Drawing on her deep knowledge as a historian as well as her experience as a member of a loving family, Rachel Seidman explains how to ask the right questions, engage in meaningful conversations, and share what you learn. I challenge you to read this guide and walk away from the chance to record the stories that are the warp and woof of family life and, at the same time, invaluable to historians who are determined to write a story of America that includes us all.” —Jacquelyn Dowd Hall, Founding Director, Southern Oral History Program, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and recipient of the National Humanities Medal

Rachel F. Seidman is an award-winning curator and a professional oral historian. She is currently a curator at the Smithsonian’s American Women’s History Museum. Previously, Seidman directed the Southern Oral History Program at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, where she also taught history, American studies, and women and gender studies. She has also taught at Duke University and at Carleton College. In 2019 Seidman was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Turku, Finland. She holds a PhD in history from Yale University, and a BA from Oberlin College. She is the author of Our Story and Speaking of Feminism.