Preserve the Memories of Loved Ones
with an Oral History

Start Now

 

 

Uncover the wisdom, humor, and heartfelt storytelling of the people in your life with a recorded and transcribed oral history. When you hire a professional from AncestryProGenealogists® you will receive the highest quality service and attention to your goals.

    Why record oral histories?
  • Preserve the memories and stories of loved ones before they are lost.
  • Create something that can be shared with family today and with later generations.
  • Enhance genealogical research by building onto the stories of who your ancestors were, what they meant to others, and what kind of legacy they left behind. An oral history adds memories and emotion to your ancestral story and allows you to take an active role in preserving your family’s history.
  • Oral histories make great gifts!

    • Why hire a professional?
  • Our professional interviewers/writers have decades of experience in conducting interviews. They know what questions to ask and how to ask them in order to best capture your family’s oral history. They also have access to the equipment and technology needed to produce a high-quality recording.
  • Many people enjoy sharing their stories with someone new, so they are more likely to open up to someone who isn’t another family member.
  • When talking to someone who isn’t a family member, people won’t leave out little details that they assume a family member would know. These details will be vital to the understanding of future generations.
  • Creating an accurate transcript of an interview can be time-consuming. Our professionals have the experience to complete these tasks effectively and efficiently.
  • Our professional graphic designers can bring the transcript of your oral history to life in a beautiful presentation that will be a family heirloom for generations to come.

    • What is included in an oral history project with AncestryProGenealogists®?
  • One of our professional interviewers/writers will contact you to learn a bit more about the subjects and scope of the interview or interviews. This will allow them to prepare some questions and make the most efficient use of your time.
  • The professional interviewer/writer will conduct the interview remotely. (Travel for in-person interviews is also possible, based on your preference.)
  • We’ll edit the audio and create an index and, if you wish, a designed transcript that incorporates family photos you provide.

    • How much does it cost?
  • The cost for an oral history project can vary, based on the number of people interviewed and how long they are interviewed. (If our professional travels to do an in-person interview, that also adds to the cost of the project.)
  • Our basic oral history package, consisting of a one-person interview for three hours, the creation of a digital audio file, and a designed transcript of the interview, starts at about $3,750.


Our Oral History Team

Erika Manternach

Erika Manternach has a diverse background in the fields of broadcast journalism, education, and family history, but her pursuits have always centered on writing and sharing engaging, memorable stories. She started her career in TV news, serving for 10 years as a...

Sandy McDougle

Sandy McDougle’s passion for graphic design began way back when she was a young girl; she was always decorating her bulletin board with pop art, surfers, and pictures torn out of magazines. As she doodled with sidewalk chalk and made illustrated storybooks of her...

Sapphire Heien

Sapphire Heien joined AncestryProGenealogists as a writer in 2021. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and Professional Writing and a Graduate Certificate in Publishing with a focus on Editing. Her previous roles included grant writing for a state government agency...

Shalese Hinckley

Shalese Hinckley joined the AncestryProGenealogists® Storytelling Team as a graphic designer in 2022. She has always had a deep love for the arts and highly values preserving family memories and history through traditional and digital scrapbooking and bookmaking. She...