HENNING, Tenn. (AP) – Find the good and praise it. It’s a phrase the late Alex Haley, author of the 1976 novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family, often said during his life, from his days residing in the small West Tennessee town of Henning through his world travels as a journalist and writer. His seminal book about the horrors and injustices of slavery include messages of perseverance, courage and strength.
Now, on the occasion of his 100th birthday, the author’s bridge-building legacy is being invoked once again as a kind of antidote to an especially contentious period of American life. A ribbon-cutting at the renovated Alex Haley Museum and Interpretive Center took place August 13, and a community celebration featuring music, food and a fashion show is scheduled for Saturday.