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Idea File: Get Help from the Federal Writers Project

If your ancestors lived during the Civil War, you may not think you’d learn much about their life from a project which began in 1936.  You may be wrong.

From 1936 to 1940, members of the Federal Writers’ Project interviewed Americans for a WPA project,  which is now available at the Library of Congress.

The  collection includes 2,900 documents, ranging in length from 2,000 to 15,000 words.  During the interviewed, subjects discussed topics like political views, experience, life observations and education.  Some interviewees were old enough to have lived through important events of the 19th Century; others relate stories handed down through their family.

The narratives offer glimpses into the everyday life of farmers, doctors, slaves, soldiers, pioneers and gold seekers.   The site is searchable by keyword or by state.  You can narrow or broaden results by specifying “match all the words”, “match some of the words” or “match exact phrase.”

Get great information for your family book at American Life Histories

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