DearMYRTLE - PBS' African American Lives debuts tonight

Providing practical, down-to-earth advice for family historians since 1995, online since 1985.

PBS' African American Lives debuts tonight

DearREADERS,
PBS is doing a big thing tonight in broadcasting AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES, a new series focusing on genealogical challenges facing a great percentage of our population.

NOTE: Episodes 1 and 2 of AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES premiere Wednesday, February 1, 2006, at 9:00 pm Eastern; Episodes 3 and 4 air the following Wednesday, February 8, 2006, at 9:00 PM Eastern. See: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/aalives/

From the website we read:

"Hosted by Henry Louis Gates, Jr., W.E.B. Du Bois professor of the Humanities and chair of African and African American Studies at Harvard University, AFRICAN AMERICAN LIVES, an unprecedented four-part PBS series, takes Alex Haley's Roots saga to a whole new level through moving stories of personal discovery. Using genealogy, oral history, family stories and DNA analysis to trace lineage through American history and back to Africa, the series provides a life-changing journey for a diverse group of highly accomplished African Americans: Dr. Ben Carson, Whoopi Goldberg, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Dr. Mae Jemison, Quincy Jones, Dr. Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot, Chris Tucker and Oprah Winfrey."

AMAZINGLY, the accompanying website isn't completed. Apparently they intend to have biographies of some of America's most notable African American celebrities. But the site is on the right track with the following sub pages:

-- ANALYZING THE EVIDENCE - testing your knowledge and providing tips on preserving your own family heritage

-- THE SCIENCE & THE INVESTIGATORS - (due out Feb 9th)

-- WHO AM I? A GENEALOGY GUIDE - (due out Feb 9th)

-- FOR EDUCATORS with great ideas for incorporating African American Heritage into the classroom curriculum

-- RESOURCES which lists a likely mix of book titles to guide the progress of a personal journey to finding African American Roots

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)