re: What's the closest you or a family member has been to a part of history?

My Grandfather was a Dallas County Deputy Sheriff (Selma, AL.) in the 60's. Stood behind George Wallace on the steps at the University of Alabama during segregation and also was in downtown Selma during the bridge crossing march from Selma to Montgomery 1965. I still have both of his batons. I'm sure they could say a lot if they could speak.

I was there when South Carolina beat Tennessee 63-38

I also worked occasionally with Hal Yeager , brother of Chuck Yeager first to break the speed of sound.
Hal was a great instrument engineer

I attended a Braves/Expos game in the Expos' final season. I have family in Atlanta and was there during the summer.

Forgot the final score but the Expos kicked their arse bad.

A relative on my mother’s side was in the hallway when Huey Long was shot. John B Fournet, chief justice.

My grandfather was also at the base of Suribachi and in the same regiment as the flag raisers on Iwo Jima

My parents and I stood in line to vote in the first post-Apartheid election in South Africa. I wasn’t allowed to vote because I was 4 years old.

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One of my wife's descendants was burned at the stake in Salem ...

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I think….er, hope, you mean ancestor

My 11x great grandfather was a founding father of the Quakers.

Richard Nixon is also descended from said great-grandfather, who’s the first president to resign from office.

Grandfather was in the air force. He served in both 1 & 2, which is all he told us but later found out far more, had a hand written letter thanking him for his service from LeMay at retirement. He died in 2020 and the family received a letter at his funeral from Welsh or Goldfien, I can't remember.

A few retirees were at his service and the whole family had no idea how involved my grandfather was while enlisted. He was an incredibly humble man that wanted nothing more than to serve his country and return back home to his life and continue on. He wanted nothing from his country while giving everything.

Proceeded to have 9 children, 22 grandchildren (including myself), and one great grandchild just before he passed. The only funny thing that he requested after retiring from service and taking over the family farm operation was if he could provide the turkey to the President for Thanksgiving. He and my grandmother provided (without doxxing myself) a President in the 60s or 70s the White House turkey.

His father, my great grandfather turned his glass plant into a bullet manufacturer line in either 16 or 17 and then again during WW2 somewhere in the 40s. His Detroit auto plant was a part of the Ford bomber assembly line. They were incredible Americans and the sad reality is everything they gave has laid the foundation for what is happening today. I am grateful to have been in his presence and even more thankful to have been under his wing. He shaped me into a strong American that will always stand up for what is right and just.