Family Interview Narrative

I come from a family of hardworking and extremely determined people who never stop looking forward. It dates way back to the 1950s overcoming abject poverty in the rural South. My ancestors worked as sharecroppers, this proved for a better quality of life and better opportunity for employment. My family today keeps that legacy going -- we keep looking forward. We are basically like any other family. We are loving, caring, and encouraging but we have our problems. We come together every year to celebrate this legacy in family reunions, holidays, birthdays. Also my family enjoys working which brings me to the workaholic of my family the person I chose to interview my mother. She is a petite African American woman that loves politics

So I gave her some ideas I ask, “Any stories of travel, traditions or career change?”

Then she after a while blurted out “What about your ancestors Ola and John move to Michigan?”

“I guess that’ll work “

I replied in an almost reluctant tone wondering how I would turn this into story of travel in the 1950s into a halfway interesting narrative.

“So when did this journey begin or how did it begin?”, I ask.

She then replied, “It begin around the early 1950s, they faced discrimination and they wanted a better way of life. So during this time you would move to the north for a better everything such as job opportunity and a new view of the world”. After my mother said that I couldn’t help to think of us moving to Arizona for basically the same reason.

“How did they get there like what was their transportation?” I ask.

“They traveled via train but most people traveled in buses back then.” she

“Do you know what there experience was like on the train?”

“Not well actually, the train conductors weren’t friendly, train fare was expensive, and there was very little food this wasn’t a short ride mind you overall it was a grueling experience