By VOICE & VIEWPOINT NEWSWIRE
The highly anticipated and long awaited Murray-Haley Family Reunion has finally been planned for July 20th – July 23, 2023 in the Memphis, Henning and Ripley Tennessee areas! The planning of this event was initially discussed with the late William (Bill) Alexander Haley, Sr. in 2011 and was planned for the summer of 2013. He said it was time to have another family reunion because the last significant get-together was held when his father, Alexander (Alex) Murray Palmer Haley, was alive back in July of 1982.
Family members spanning across the United States have assembled a family reunion planning committee and are ready for this momentous occasion this summer! This will be one of the most significant Murray-Haley family reunions of the last four decades.
The itinerary was strategically planned to cover a wide array of activities focusing on the heritage of the Murray-Haley family and other historical sites in the area. We’re planning on visiting the following places:
- Alex Haley Museum & Interpretive Center (Henning, TN)
- Bethlehem Cemetery (Henning, TN)
- West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center & Tina Turner Museum (Brownsville, TN)
- Family Reunion Picnic at Ripley City Park (Ripley, TN)
- Full Gospel Tabernacle Church – Reverend Al Green’s Church (Memphis, TN)
Alex Haley’s boyhood home, now the The Alex Haley Museum, is where the 1977 Pulitzer Prize-winning author lived with his grandparents (1921-1929). On the front porch, young Haley would listen to his relatives tell family stories.
During long summer evenings, young Alex would sit engrossed at the tales of his ancestors, who were brought to America as slaves. This is where he learned about Kunta Kinte, Queen and Chicken George.
His imagination was stirred, and he never forgot what he heard. When Alex grew up, he used those stories to author the book we all know as “Roots: The Saga of an American Family” (1976). This book is what sparked the interest in people wanting to find their own family history around the world.
In 1977, the television adaptation titled “Roots” led to a cultural sensation in the United States, racking up over 40 Primetime Emmy Award nominations and 8 wins. It became one of the most watched TV mini series of all time.
The award winning series was followed up with “Roots: The Next Generation” (1979) and “Roots: The Gift” (1988), which was a Christmas movie special. ”Alex Haley’s Queen” (1993) was another mini series based on Alex’s family (his paternal grandmother). In 2016, the History channel created “Roots,” a remake of the original 1977 mini series with the same name.
Alex passed away on February 10th, 1992, but his legacy lives on. The Alex Haley Museum and Interpretive Center features a plethora of family memorabilia, artifacts, and more.
If there are any family and friends interested in sharing and participating in this momentous occasion, please contact The Murray-Haley Reunion Team/Committee at [email protected]
