Father of Popular Genealogy

Considered by many as the father of the popular genealogy movement, Alexander Murphy Palmer Haley was born on August 11, 1921 in Ithaca, New York. Alex Haley's quest to learn more about his family history and his African American ancestor, Kunta Kinte, resulted in his writing the Pulitzer Prize-winning book "Roots." The book, published in 37 languages, was adapted into the first week-long television mini-series, viewed by an estimated 130 million people and generating a widespread interest in genealogy.

Related Resources:
African American Genealogy 101
Family Trees of Famous African Americans