Guest Post: StoryCorps – About the Family Business – a CIRCUS!

I met Jen in 2010 when folks were training for the Boston Marathon (I was just running long for the fun of it!) We realized that we worked very close to one another and started meeting for lunch occasionally. One day I mentioned that my friend was trying to get me to do a 200 mile bike ride, the Ride for AIDS Chicago, but that I was not much of a road biker. Jen mentioned that she would be interested in the ride as she had previously done a weeklong AIDS ride and loved it. We both signed up and spent many hours biking together on the roads to train and ride. During that time I had the pleasure of learning about Jen and her family and really enjoyed her company. Since then, Jen was married and changed careers to become a teacher in Chicago Public Schools. Her sister and mom are teachers and her dad is a retired school principal, so this runs in the family.

I recently posted that StoryCorps was coming to Chicago and Jen told me that she and her dad signed up. I asked her to write a post to tell us all about it.

Here is what she said:

I am a huge fan of National Public Radio, and listen to it daily while getting ready for work and on my commute. One of my favorite segments on NPR airs every Friday morning, and I frequently find myself having to re-do my mascara because of the tears in my eyes. StoryCorps is an oral history project that features interviews between two loved ones telling important stories from their lives. StoryCorps travels the country to give people the opportunity to tell and record their stories. Story Corps then broadcasts the stories it records weekly on NPR’s Morning Edition, and all stories are archived at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

When I heard (through Erica Finds, of course!) that the StoryCorps booth was in Chicago, I was instantly intrigued. I knew right away that I wanted to interview my dad; besides being an excellent wordsmith and storyteller, my Dad’s family has some very unique history that I knew would make a great story. I contacted my Dad, and he was just as excited as I was about the prospect. I looked into it and found that there was an open slot for a one-hour interview in early August.

The StoryCorps booth is in the Chicago Cultural Center, and has a sound proof recording booth within a small office there. When we arrived for our interview, we both filled out detailed questionnaires with our personal and demographic information. A facilitator then joined us in the recording booth, we did a quick sound check, and then we were given 45 minutes for the interview.

My Dad told the story of my grandparents and great-grandparents, who had the unusual profession of being circus performers! My great-grandparents started out working in Vaudeville theaters, then traveled with circuses including Barnum & Bailey, and finally created their own small circus, the Wiziarde Novelty Circus. My grandpa and his brother also performed in the circus growing up. They performed many acts including the tight-wire rope. (Anyone reading this who knows me may be wondering where this gene disappeared—I am extremely clumsy!)

I have known for a long time about my family history, mostly through seeing old photos and my Dad’s stories, but I had never heard the whole history laid out in sequence. I learned so much about our family, and I am thrilled that we now have this interview  recorded and archived, as my Dad is the last family member still living to tell these stories. I love knowing that any future generation of our family will be able to visit the Library of Congress and listen to our family’s story.

I also took the opportunity that day to share with my dad some very special news—that my husband and I are expecting our first child. I told him right at the end of the interview, and while his reaction was short on words, when I listen to it, I will always be able to picture the look on this face and the tears in his eyes. It was one of the most memorable days I have had in a long time, and I can’t wait to share the recording with my child someday.

The Story Corps booth is still in Chicago (at least through November according to their calendar). I don’t know if our story will ever be chosen to air on NPR, and it doesn’t matter much to me either way, but if you would like to listen to our interview, the recording is linked HERE on SoundCloud.

I love this story! Jen had the opportunity to ask some of the questions she has wanted to know about her family history. Her dad told the story with love and energy and was grateful for the opportunity to do so. This recording will ensure that the story of the Wiziarde circus is not lost for future generations. And, I was so touched by the conclusion. This special moment between Jen and her dad will also now be a part of the family legacy.

Who would you interview for StoryCorps? Does your family/friend have a unique story to tell?