Purpose
of Saving Our Stories
Saving Our Stories (SOS)
Saving Our Stories is a coalition of concerned
historians, educators, students, and members of service organizations
in Illinois whose goal is to champion the preservation of family,
cultural, and community history. The coalition's campaign
targets all generations, urging everyone to gather and record
their family stories through oral history interviews. Further,
they also suggest that participants then become advocates and
get neighbors or classmates to do the same.
Diversity and understanding other cultures is
another goal of SOS. Pat Bearden, longtime family history
educator, says that recording our family histories and sharing
them with others brings energy and curiosity about different
countries and people. Senator Emil Jones, President of the
Illinois Senate, urges all generations to learn more about
one another: "Sit next to someone you don't know,
particularly someone of another culture and get to know them."
Individuals of all ages are encouraged to record family stories,
gather documents and artifacts from their great grandparents
and great great grandparents, and prepare timelines that show
the history from generation to generation. |
| Everyday precious heirlooms are dumped
out because someone passes away and nobody understands
the value of Grandmother's shoes, immigrant passage
tickets, or old books. --Alex Haley |
|
What are the benefits of preserving Family
History?
 For youngsters,
to learn about their roots and those of other cultures;
For educators,
the opportunity to address learning standards and to incorporate
service into the curriculum;
For veterans
and older adults, a chance to articulate their legacy and receive
visits from young people eager to hear their stories;
For literacy
programs, a way to make reading interesting;
For all Illinoisans,
a way to bring the past to the present and to save it for future
generations.
Need for Saving Our Stories
Prevent the loss of history with the passing of our elders.
Fact: Over 1500 American war veterans die every day and their
stories are lost forever.
Curtail students' declining knowledge of history.
Fact: Only 43% of 12th graders had a basic knowledge of history
according to 2001 tests.
Foster multicultural understanding in schools, the workplace,
and the community.
Fact: Many children and adults live in total isolation from other
cultures, their histories, and their family stories.
Stimulate writing that is interesting, meaningful and
frequent.
Fact: The National Commission on Writing found that only one of
four students was ranked as proficient.
Establish a positive relationship between retirees and higher
education.
Objectives
Promote oral history interviews with family elders and encourage
historical research.
Increase public
knowledge about and understanding of the diversity of cultures
in Illinois.
Foster multicultural
and intergenerational connections between students and adults
of all ages.
Stimulate
writing that is interesting, meaningful and frequent.
Prevent the
loss of history with the passing of our elders.
Members
American Family History Institute
American Indian Center
Changing Worlds
Chicago Historical Society
Illinois State Historical Library
Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
Illinois State Historical Society
Illinois State Archives
Illinois Press Association
Illinois Association of School Boards
Intergenerational Initiative: SIU Carbondale
Illinois Coalition for Community Service
Illinois Department of Human Services
Illinois Humanities Council
Illinois State Library
Mexican Fine Art Center
Secretary of State's Office
Chicago Public Schools
City Colleges of Chicago
Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents
Illinois Association of School Boards
Illinois Board of Higher Education
Illinois Community College Board
Illinois Education Association
Illinois State Board of Education,
Illinois PTA
North Central College
Illinois Department on Aging
Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs
AARP
American Folklife Center
Library of Congress
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