It's official--October "Family History Month" > It is a great day for genealogists and family historians everywhere! On Wednesday, September 26, 2001, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved legislation to designate October as "Family History Month." This is a huge day for the more than 80 million Americans who are believed to be actively searching for more information about their ancestors. "Millions of Americans are researching the history of their families," said Senator Orrin G. Hatch, the Utah Republican who introduced the Family History Month resolution. "Experts say that in the United States, genealogy is now the second most popular hobby next to gardening." "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 84 other Senate members, 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, FamilySearch." In light of the recent tragic of events of September 11, the timing of this legislation couldn't be more perfect, in my opinion. We need to get past being scared and celebrate who we are and where we came from. Researching ancestry is a very important part of who we are as individuals and as a nation. It can lead to family reunions, new medical treatments based on genetic links, and a sense of tolerance and understanding of individuals from different religions, cultures and backgrounds. With the exception of Native Americans, our ancestors were all immigrants to this country, coming from different parts of the globe. In the words of Senator Hatch, "By searching for our roots, we come closer together as a human family." For more information check out our Family History Month Special which includes the full text of Senator Hatch's resolution, articles on researching your family tree, projects for celebrating Family History Month and a schedule of Family History Month events planned around the U.S.