A New and Growing Profession: Personal Historians Listening to Elders' Stories

Abstract

In 1995, the Association for Personal Historians (APH) held its first meeting in Cambridge, Massachusetts with about 12 participants. Personal historians assist individuals, families, community groups, and even some businesses, to record their history in written, audio, and/or video format. Now a 501(c)(4) trade organization with an average membership of about 600, the APH has developed annual meetings, an active listserv, and a website. The academic literature indicates that in uncovering traumatic memories, caution for narrators is warranted. The article identifies skills and issues to be considered as educational programs for this new profession develop.