Here's to you, Alex Haley!

Where would we be today if Alexander Murray Palmer Haley hadn't written "Roots"? If it hadn't later been broadcast on television all over the world, thus inspiring millions of viewers?

I think he deserves a birthday shout-out!
Happy Birthday, Alex Haley (August 11, 1921-February 10, 1992).

If not for Haley, what would be spending our leisure time doing? What other hobbies were important to us, pre-genealogy? Can you remember when we weren't involved in genealogy and the mysteries of our histories?

OK, fellow genea-bloggers - let's chime on this one.

Personally, I would be needlepointing or working with gold and silver bullion threads on velvet - I haven't completed a project since 1990.

There would likely not be an Ancestry, Footnote, GenealogyBank or even JewishGen.

Genealogy sections in libraries would be very limited - if indeed there was a section at all.

Only a few people worldwide were hardcore genealogists prior to seeing those episodes of "Roots," which garnered the largest viewing audience ever.

Haley was the father of contemporary genealogy. For more information, click KinteHaley.Org