An American Legacy

Megan’s archive provides an example of how much immigrants have helped to, literally, build our country and rich history. Honoring our roots and reflecting on where we come from is a poignant part of the human experience. Permanent.org seeks to help perpetuate this dialogue and amplify the voices of the many peoples who have shaped the world.

Growing up, Megan would frequently flip through the yellowing pages of family photo albums to remember her grandfather’s life. Her mother would tell her the same stories about how her grand-father proposed when he tasted her grandmother’s lemon meringue pie, the house he built them and how during the war he went off to Washington DC to help build the Pentagon.

The photo of him in front of the Lincoln memorial was always a family favorite. When Megan had her photo taken in the exact same spot over 75 years later, seeing these two photos side by side made her realize their family story needed to be preserved.

MEGAN DOLAN is the Assistant Director of Communications for the Permanent Legacy Foundation. She is an Austin native who lives with her dog, cat and rabbit with her family nearby. They still make her grandmother’s recipes and use her grandfather’s tools.

“He built the house my family lived in. I built him a home where I can visit him always.”

Preserving His Story

William’s legacy deserved more than a folder. People live in his legacy, work in it. He should have a monument of his own. Megan created a separate Permanent Archive for her grandfather and manages it from her own account. Her entire family has contributed their memories of him and, together, they have been able to bring life back to those yellowing photos.