Two different genealogy groups independently started projects to have a national Family History Month recognized by the U.S. Government. In a bit of serendipity, without knowledge of the other group's existence, both groups selected October as their preferred month. I had the pleasure this week of connecting the two groups together, and they are now hoping to combine forces. However, they need more help. They especially want to hear from local, state, regional or national genealogical societies as well as from ethnic organizations.

If a hundred or so people combine their efforts now, October could indeed become Family History Month in the United States.

Now, thanks to Jo Russell, Jeannie Rogers, Rusty Perry and many others, the proposal for a Family History Month is getting much closer. This week the U.S. Senate approved the proposal by unanimous consent. This is not the final step, but it probably was the biggest hurdle to be cleared.

The following is a press release from the office of Senator Orrin G. Hatch:

SENATE PASSES HATCH BILL TO COMMEMORATE OCTOBER 2001 AS FAMILY HISTORY MONTH

 Legislation Promotes Genealogical Research

September 26, 2001

By unanimous consent, the Senate today approved legislation introduced by Sen. Orrin G. Hatch to designate October as "Family History Month."

"Millions of Americans are researching the history of their families," said the Utah Republican. "Experts say that in the United States, genealogy is now the second most popular hobby next to gardening. It is believed that more that 80 million Americans are currently actively searching for more information about their ancestors.

"It is only natural that we want to find out more about our ancestors," Hatch continued. "What better way to bring families closer together than by discovering more about the story of their own family? Like it or not, who we are today is in large part, a product of our ancestors.

Hatch's bill (S.R. 160), which was co-sponsored by Robert Bennett (R-Utah), commemorates October as Family History Month and encourages President Bush to issue a proclamation calling upon the people of the United States to observe the month of October with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

"With the advent of the Internet, there has been an explosion of interest in family history," Hatch continued. "Last month alone, more than 14 million Americans used the Internet to research their family history. Genealogy Internet sites are some of the most popular sites on the World Wide Web. My church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, has family history information on nearly 500 million individuals on its family history web site at www.familysearch.com."

"Essentially, we are all immigrants to this country. Our ancestors came from different parts of the globe," Hatch said. "By searching for our roots, we come closer together as a human family.

S.R. 160 had 84 co-sponsors and was approved by unanimous consent.

"Researching ancestry is a very important component of identity. It can lead to long-sought-after family reunions or allow for life saving medical treatments that only genetic links will allow," Hatch said. "For all of these reasons, I encourage people across this nation to find out more about where they came from."

President Bush is expected to sign the bill, officially designating October as "Family History Month."

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