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Now that we are into the month of October and we all notice the trees turning color around us, it’s good to remember that this month also focuses on another kind of tree, our family tree. October is Family History Month.

In 2001, Senator Orrin Hatch introduced a bill making October, Family History Month. Imagine that, an entire month dedicated to doing something to find and preserve the memories of our ancestors. Senator Hatch wrote, “By searching for our roots, we come closer together as a human family.” Family history enthusiasts continue to celebrate Family History Month every October.

We all have a history, and that history extends far back beyond ourselves. Every ancestor we have has left their mark on us and has been the formation of tradition and culture within our lives. There is a certain comfort in knowing where we came from, and Family History Day encourages us to delve into the people who came together to make us who we are today. But our genealogy is even more important than just knowing our origins!

Who would have thought that Family History Day would be as much about where you came from, as where you’re going? So, during the month of October take some time do something that your posterity, both living and those not yet born, will appreciate. Discover your family!

— Mary Jones-Fitts is the president of the Marengo County African American Preservation Alliance.