Can You Identify These People Before It’s Too Late??? Part II
(Today’s post was written by my father Dick Miller. Dick was raised a Republican, steered by good math grades and financial necessity to a career in engineering and high-tech software. He is now a born-again anthropologist/historian (it was always in him) and wants JFK (and Jackie) to return to the White House.)
Old Photos Make Great Kindling
We’ve already determined that you aren’t going to write your biography just yet, and I’ll take bets that most of you aren’t going to chronicle the achievements of your ancestors (unless you see some $$$ in it!) So, let’s do a couple of relatively simple things to give a future hand to your great-great-great-grandchildren/nephews/nieces.
See the photo to the left? That’s my uncle the Indian Agent with Sitting Bull. Except it isn’t Sitting Bull…which is bad…we’ll come back to that point. See the photo to the right? Someone has identified each person and the setting in the margin notes, which is good (and you can’t read, but trust me.)
I inherited an old photo book from my mother with family photos from 1900-1930. I have no idea who the people are. There are no labels and I didn’t know the book existed until I found it while cleaning out the house. My descendants will eventually toss the photos (or, I could save them the trouble and start next winter’s fires with them.)
Your small contribution to history can start right now: ask all your older relatives to show you every family picture they have and label them as you go through; ask what is notable about your ancestors and write it on the back of the photo or start a log; (most important part coming now…) label all your photos – past and future!
So, who is that Indian Chief with my uncle? It’s Crow Dog. My uncle’s daughter, who was present at the time, mislabeled the photo. Fortunately, historical photos existed which helped me correct the error. That’s a lesson – don’t trust one labeled photo!
BTW – do you know who that is on the left? Me neither…
What historical data can you trust? Why, census records, of course – NOT! Tomorrow…
About the Author: Randall H. Miller is an American college educator/blogger. He is also a former U.S. Army officer (82nd Airborne) with a M.A. in Diplomacy (focusing on International Terrorism) and a B.A. in Criminal Justice. Use the form on the right to sign up and receive notifications of new content. The words and ideas expressed here are 100% his own and not those of his employers or affiliated organizations.
Renee | Jun 26, 2008 | Reply
Amazing….I just found an envelope in an old trunk, full of pictures of my parents and other relatives. Guess what I will be doing, sorting them all out and putting names on the back of them.
Renee