This Thanksgiving if  you are fortunate enough to have several generations together to celebrate

Don't miss the chance to ask your older family members about the lives they have lived. 

Beginning with one booth in Grand Central terminal in 2003, StoryCorps has grown to be broadcast weekly on National Public Radio's Morning Edition.Thanks to founder Dave Isay’s vision StoryCorps has grown its “mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world.”

There is a StoryCorps podcast, permanent booths in several U.S. cities, there have been best selling books and multiple Peabody awards, a MacArthur Award, a Ted prize which led to the launch the  StoryCorps App, A tool for collecting the wisdom of humanity and the GREAT THANKSGIVING LISTEN; an effort to get young people across America to preserve the voices and stories of an entire generation over a single holiday weekend.

The Great Thanksgiving Listen was originally conceived for high school students to encourage them to have meaningful conversations with their older relatives; now in it’s third year the idea  has been so successful and valuable, StoryCorps is encouraging anyone with a smartphone and an interest in storytelling to participate.

This Thanksgiving consider using the app. There is great guidance on the StoryCorps site including suggested questions to get the conversation started. Use the app “to create your own unique oral history with an elder or loved one in your life.” The stories are archived at the Library of Congress. 

Help preserve your family's memory, it is an important part of our shared history. When you ask and listen you never know what you will learn.