30th Anniversary of Alex Haley's "Roots"

This week, Reader's Digest and Warner Brothers Video are launching the 30th Anniversary celebration of Alex Haley's historic "Roots" book and TV miniseries. This Pulitzer-Prize winning book was an international bestseller and was transformed into the highest-rated TV movie in U.S. history when it appeared in 1977. I was flattered when Reader's Digest asked me to write the introduction to a special collection of Alex Haley's works, "Alex Haley: The Man Who Traced America's Roots", which is being published this week. Few people realize that the Digest had financed Haley's 10 year search to find his family roots in Africa, but Haley had been a longtime contributing editor to Reader's Digest when he asked DeWitt and Lila Wallace (the founders of the Digest)to underwrite the research for his landmark book, "Roots". When the world read the book and learned of his ancestors, Kunte Kinte and Kizzy, and so many others, they all wanted to better understand their own family histories.

When the younger generation of readers and viewers buy the book and watch the film--and see actors LeVar Burton, Ben Vereen, Ed Asner, Leslie Uggams and others breathe life into Haley's family history, they will also understand why "Roots" helped to introduce people of all races to the issues surrounding the American South and how blacks and whites interacted through several generations. I hope you will get the reissue of "Roots" as well as the new Alex Haley collection. Reader's Digest has arranged that a percentage of each copy sold of "Alex Haley: The Man Who Traced America's Roots", will be donated to the United Negro College Fund, to aid scholarship opportunities for needy students.

This week, I will be appearing on several programs to discuss "Roots" and the Alex Haley legacy. Among the programs will be "Night Talk with Mike Schneider" on Bloomberg Television (airing at 8pm and 10pm- check local listings), and the nationally syndicated radio program, "The Bev Smith Show" which airs in New York, D.C., Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Detroit and 20 other cities (airing live at 7pm Eastern - check local listings).

And of course I hope my New York friends will watch me and Michael Edelman as we continue to discuss local, state and national politics with hosts Janine Rose and Brian Conybeare on "Newsmakers" on News 12 on both Saturday and Sunday.

My Political Commentary on TV this weekend

For those fellow New Yorkers who are interested in my comments regarding the New York State budget that was just passed by the State Legislature and our exciting new Governor, Eliot Spitzer, I hope that you will watch my half-hour TV appearance on "Newsmakers", which airs on News 12. Airing on both Saturday and Sunday, I am conversing with hosts Janine Rose and Brian Conybeare, and debating with Republican strategist Michael Edelman.

Governor Spitzer, who was elected in a landslide victory following an extremely successful term as New York State Attorney General, has seen his first budget pass on schedule. Known as the "sheriff of Wall Street" following his policing of the financial industry and other segments of the business world, Spitzer is attempting to curb waste in governmental spending, as well as addressing the need for greater ethics in Albany. Key issues in our News 12 discussion include rising property taxes, increased school aid, Medicaid expenses, and the ongoing struggle between a Republican State Senate and a Democratic State Assembly.

We also discuss the Presidential campaigns of Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Rudy Giuliani and John McCain.