Memory Books

The tradition of the memory book, or houshamadyan, stemmed from Armenians creating books lovingly written about their homeland so that successive generations would not forget from whence they came. It was a direct answer to the genocide that tried to wipe the Armenians from the face of the earth.

The books attached in this collection are English translations of memory books from the villages from which many in Whitinsville descended. This project itself is a nod to the tradition of the memory book in that the Armenian community of Whitinsville, once much larger, has changed and slowly continues to do so.

Like the memory books of old, the Armenians of Whitinsville project exists to tell a story of an Armenian community of the past, recounting lives past, but also looking at the present diaspora. If you enjoy these books and want to contribute a pdf file of another such book that may be relevant, please contact us at info@armeniansofwhitinsville.org.