Rebecca :
My questions are few because in the back of his book, Phillip has included a long & very interesting interview of his FAQs.
What made you think to explore young people's involvement in the history of the USA?
Phillip :
A remark by Sarah Rosen, a thirteen-year-old girl I once interviewed. She said “There's no one my age in my history book. It makes you feel like you're not even real.”
Rebecca :
Where did you do most of your research?
Phillip :
It took six years. At first I did most of it in libraries throughout the United States. By 1999 I was able to do more of it on-line. It helped that my local interlibrary loan office went on-line about then so that I could order books from around the world.
Rebecca :
Why do you think young people need to feel a part of history?
Phillip :
Why not? Anyone needs to feel a part of history. We all are a part of history, except that books & shows about history tend to be about adults. Your history -- the things that are happening to you & around you now -- are worth writing down. Times are very dramatic now & your grandchildren will want to know what it was like to live now.
Rebecca :
Who was the most surprising person you found?
Phillip :
It's impossible to answer the question. There were just too many surprises.
Rebecca :
Through which era would you most have liked to have lived?
Phillip :
Depends. If I were African-American, the 1950's & 60's. If I were Mexican-American I would have liked to have helped the United Farm Workers.
I would have liked to travel with Columbus, & I would have liked to have been a First People's child throughout much of our history -- children were often treated with love & care, & allowed to have pretty long childhoods.
Personally, as a 54 year-old-white man, I would have liked to live in New York City around 1910. That was a real bad time & place for some other folks though.
Rebecca :
Are you thinking of a book about how the events of 9/11 are affecting our young people?
Phillip :
No. I'm writing a book about a bird.
Rebecca :
Is there anything you'd like to say about why your book is so important for adults & youngsters alike?
Phillip :
Yes, & I guess it gives me a chance to say something about 9/11.
Since the attacks, President Bush has challenged America's youth to deepen their sense of patriotism. But patriotism means more than memorizing the Pledge of Allegiance. It means being an effective citizen. A patriot must love America enough to monitor its behavior in the world, to criticize its leaders & programs constructively, & to insist that America walk the talk of democracy & justice.
Citizenship begins with an understanding of our nation's history -- why & how it was founded. & if you're young, that must include your history. That's why I think We Were There Too! is especially useful now.
There's another reason too. For centuries, young Americans have given their energy, ideas & lives to build this nation -- but they haven't received credit. As Sarah Rosen suggested, today's students must know that they were “real” in history. They also must become “real” themselves by recording their own experiences now.
For just as today's students yearn for tales of Pearl Harbor, their grandchildren will surely want to know what it was like to live in these shaky, amazing times. I hope We Were There Too! will inspire young readers to research the history of youth in their local areas & record their personal history.
Rebecca :
Thank you, Phillip, for a fine history book about young people. Did anyone notice that a 19 year old has just been elected Mayor of the town of Mercer in Pennsylvania?
Do check out my review of this author's dramatic & well written history We Were There, Too!. You will see American life from a very different perspective.
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