I spent a morning speaking to Mrs. Precious Banks this week during an interview. The conservation guided from a normal interview to just two people talking about family history, local history, along with a few entertaining stories about parenting.
Mrs. Banks has a wealth of interesting and informative knowledge about the past, the stories it holds and the historical significance behind it.
After the interview, I found myself wanting to know more about the research she has conducted on her own family, her neighborhood and the Yazoo community.
In this day and age when everything seems like a rat race, a constant hustle and bustle, one should remember to slow down. Sit down with our older generations to listen to their experiences, their stories, their lives. And, if possible, document these conversations for yourself and the next generation to understand where they came from, where their community has been and where those lessons can take them in the future.
I know it sounds simple, but I have always regretted that I did not write down some of the recipes from my late grandmother. Those same recipes, which fed my family and myself, were a part of our own history. Or that I failed to document most of the events my grandfather experienced in World War II.
It’s great to have those memories, but what a gift it would be to have them recorded to remind those after us where they came and where they could go.