By Kyla King, The Grand Rapids PressGRAND RAPIDS — When Anna Armstrong sits down to record her tale as part of a national oral history project called StoryCorps, she hopes future generations will find inspiration and strength in the close bond her family has maintained as her oldest grandchild struggles with a rare kidney disease. The Belding resident is just one of many area residents who will share their history with StoryCorps, the nation’s largest oral history project, which arrives in Grand Rapids this week.
Since 2003, more than 50,000 people have shared their life stories, recorded for StoryCorps and preserved at the Library of Congress. A mobile booth will be in downtown Grand Rapids from Thursday through Oct. 17, recording stories by appointment outside the Public Museum.
“This is a chance to leave a legacy,” said StoryCorps spokeswoman Sacha Evans. “There are a lot of stories about war, a lot of people want to interview a grandparent, or talk about their proudest moments, or what they want to be remembered for.”
Participants are prepped for the 40-minute conversation with suggested questions that elicit open-ended inquires and thoughtful responses between people who know each other, Evans said.
To prepare for her time, Armstrong last weekend with her daughter, Jennifer Murray, and her grandson, Christopher Parm, went over questions they will ask each other during their interview, scheduled for Thursday.
Parm, 18, has battled a rare kidney disease that has led to two transplants and frequent infections that threaten his quality of life, Armstrong said.
His health issues have been trying for her daughter and the rest of the family, she said. But it also has brought them closer and given them a sense of hope, Armstrong said.
“We’ve got three generations and it’s been a hard time, but we’ve always been able to manage, even though it hasn’t always been positive for Christopher,” the 55-year-old said. “I think one of the things we want to get across is a sense of family and that, no matter what happens in life, there’s a continuance.”
Armstrong, who was born in southeast Michigan but has lived most of her life on the west side of the state, said she has followed StoryCorps since hearing about it on a public radio station in 2007.
“The idea of recording little pieces of history just really interested me,” she said.
The project has made stops in all 50 states, but has never been to Grand Rapids, Evans said.
Though anyone is welcome to participate, Evans said organizers try to reach out to a few individuals who reflect the character of each city. In this case, they contacted former auto workers who were featured in newspaper articles about plant closings.
“It’s about capturing America and what’s happening at any given time,” Evans said.
How to share the stories of your life when StoryCorps comes to Grand RapidsReservations are still open - more slots open on Friday, September 25 at 10 a.m.
Hey scientists - now you can have a microphone just like Sid the Science Kid!
