A workshop to help Akron residents document their individual histories is kicking off Tuesday, as part of the city’s ongoing bicentennial celebration.
The eight-week workshop will help participants explore different themes that may have shaped their lives.
"For instance, it might be about who were the important people in your family? How did money play a role in your life?," said Harvey Sterns, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Akron. He will be leading the workshop using James Birren's guided autobiography approach. Birren was a pioneer in the field of gerontology, according to the Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies' website.
“Each week there will be an easy writing assignment that people will then bring in and share," he said.
The process can be really meaningful to participants, Sterns said.
"The opportunity to kind of look at your life and reflect on it is really important for developing a sense of integrity as part of one's life journey," he said.
Participants will hopefully end the workshop with the beginning of an autobiography, Akron Bicentennial Executive Director Mark Greer said.
“This class is going to take that kind of a monumental task of writing an autobiography and really break it down into manageable steps," he said.
Although the workshop is at max capacity, he hopes other residents will be inspired to also document their own histories.
“For generations to come, we can be a part of ensuring that this living history and these legacies are not forgotten," Greer said.
The project is sponsored by UA's Institute for Life-Span Development and Gerontology.
Greer has worked to expand the bicentennial celebrations into Akron's 24 neighborhoods, including visiting the neighborhoods to record oral histories.
The bicentennial organization has also hosted various events for people to learn more about Akron's rich history, including neighborhood history hikes, bike tours and monthly forums on forgotten histories. The next Forgotten History Forum will continue to explore the Akron Sound on Oct. 14. Greer will moderate November's Forgotten History Forum on urban renewal in Akron.
The bicentennial organization is hosting several beautification initiatives across the city this week.
The closing ceremony is scheduled for Dec. 6.
