Going back over hundreds of years, this book keeps lineage information within the family. The book is kept by the oldest living son, currently, it is in my uncle’s possession. This is on my paternal side, which has Korean origins. The book was started by my great-great-grandfather Choon-Shick Ohe, it was then passed to Byung-Ha Ohe, later, to my grandfather Vincent Ohe, and now, to my Uncle. My Family Tree Book, which has been in my family for generations allows our family to track our genealogy and at the same time, if we look into the book a bit closer, we can see underlying broader historical references and things that were going on at the time. The book tracks my great-great-grandfather Choon-Shick Ohe when my family was living in Northern Korea pre-WWII and the Korean War. Near the end of the Japanese rule in Korea, my great-grandfather Byung-Ha Ohe and grandfather Vincent journeyed from what is present-day North Korea to South Korea, in anticipation of subsequent events. There, my grandfather Vincent Ohe got married and had 3 children, my father being the 2nd. In the 1970s, my family decided to immigrate from South Korea to the United States of America, where eventually, I was born. I believe that to be American is to have the freedom to carry your origins and your culture with you, while still being to assimilate into the broader society of the country. This story connects to broader themes of immigration, exemplified by various times me and past generations within my family have had to move countries in search of opportunities. 

– JO

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more