Introduction: In this article, Gena Philibert-Ortega explores the nationally syndicated “Ask Them Yourself” newspaper column – which provides a glimpse into the past and just might have your ancestor’s name and location! Gena is a genealogist and author of the book “From the Family Kitchen.”

Twentieth-century newspapers offered readers various ways to interact with their local newspaper. Women could submit recipes for contests in the Women’s Pages, community members could write letters to the editor, photographers walked around town asking questions about local and controversial topics.

As I was studying some historical newspapers in GenealogyBank recently, I found a nationwide column in the Sunday magazine newspaper supplement called the “Family Weekly” that invited readers to submit questions to politicians, celebrities, authors, and other famous people.

“Ask Them Yourself” invited readers to submit a question on a postcard mailed to “Family Weekly” in New York. Readers submitting questions used in the column were paid $5 (according to various inflation websites that would equal about $50 today). The column showed the photo of the celebrity, the question, answer and the reader’s name (sometimes just initials) and their location. This column was syndicated in newspapers nationwide and featured readers from throughout the United States.

I love reading these types of columns because they provide a look at what people were thinking at a specific time in history. It provides insight into issues our families would have faced. Although this column appears to have only run from 1967 to 1979, which isn’t that long ago, it might be of interest to those who had parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents alive at this time. And maybe one of them asked one of the questions!

‘Ask Them Yourself’ Examples

Here’s one example of an “Ask Them Yourself” column, this one from 13 March 1977.

In this column, anthropologist Dr. Margaret Mead is asked by a reader in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, whether she thinks interest in anthropology will increase or decrease in the next 25 years (1977-2002). Probably not surprisingly, she answers that she believes interest will increase.

Other celebrities featured in this column include John Wayne, Arnold Palmer, actress Nancy Walker and others. At the bottom of the column is a Pro vs Con question featuring Dr. Joyce Brothers and John Ryor, then president of the National Education Association, regarding physical punishment in schools.

I find it interesting to read these “Ask Them Yourself” columns to see what issues they were addressing back then that we are still facing today. One example is from another 1977 column, where Henry Ford II, the chairman of the board of Ford Motor Company, is asked by Larry W. Kruse of College Station, Texas, whether electric vehicles will be economically feasible in the future. Ford responds by saying he doesn’t think they will be in the next 20 years. While he thinks it is something that will eventually happen in the future, he mentions the problem in 1977 was the lack of a battery to power an electric car.

Sometimes these reader-submitted question columns make it difficult to identify the person asking the question because some people just use their initials. Only two readers in this “Ask Them Yourself” column from 1967 used their own names. Irene Stevens from Temple City, California, asked a question of entertainer Joey Bishop, and J. L. Gale of Elizabeth, New Jersey, asked a question about Mamie Van Doren’s baseball player husband Lee Meyers. It’s really hit and miss, but certainly a thrill if your ancestor asked a question and included their name.

Did They ‘Ask Them Yourself’?

We often think of researching historical newspapers as the way to find vital record events or articles placing an ancestor in a location and time. Those are crucial to our research, but we should also consider other types of articles they may be named in. Who knows? Maybe your ancestor asked a question of a celebrity or public figure, and it was published in the newspaper!

Create a free account at GenealogyBank for 7 days to start your journey and discover the stories your ancestors left behind.

Note on the header image: gray bird with question marks.