Roots Recovered Proclaimed As Black History Month's Premiere Travel Book For African Heritage Travel

    EWING, NJ, February 05, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- As concerns over the downturn spiral of the economy continues to grow nationwide, many people are trying to find innovative ways of cutting costs without cutting corners. Out of this need emerges the book Roots Recovered! The How-To Guide for Tracing African-American and West Indian Roots Back to Africa and Going There For Free Or On A Shoestring Budget. This book is devoted to helping Africans in the Diaspora trace their roots and find their way back to Africa at a bargain price.

The author, James White was very pleased with the airing of the brilliant PBS documentary "African American Lives" by Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates. White said while he was very pleased with the show he wants the opportunity to explore one's African heritage to be accessible to the "not so rich and famous". He said, "the website and book makes African travel and using DNA to trace your roots accessible to the working person. Oprah Winfrey, Chris Tucker and Whoopi Goldberg have the wealth and resources to easily explore their African roots. The website and the book helps the everyday not so rich and famous do what they did on the documentary on a shoestring budget."

White said the book is intended to educate the reader about Africa; to dispel misconceptions about the continent; and to encourage the people to think critically about his or her perception of self in relation to Africa. It also demystifies African travel to encourage people to travel there to experience Africa for himself or herself. "Roots Recovered" contains information that ranges from African history, psychology, obtaining passports and visas to very specific country information. "However, unlike other African travel books or travel websites, the purpose of 'Roots Recovered' is to use African travel as a vehicle to open the door for understanding our psychology, history and to develop a positive Black self-concept for future growth," said White, who holds a bachelor's degree from Howard University and a law degree from New York Law School. White, who is married to a Senegalese woman, has used DNA technology and traced his roots to the Mende people of Sierra Leone and the Fulani people of Guinea. He is an African art enthusiast and has a penchant and knowledge of African history and culture and regularly travels there.

The book has been featured by some prominent critics; and has been enthusiastically received by such people as Tavis Smiley on National Public Radio; The Africa meets Africa radio broadcast on Pacifica Radio with Angelique Shofar and CN-8 News plus numerous radio interviews and lectures. The also appeared in Columbus Ohio with Dr. Rick Kittles of African Ancestry, who is the pioneer of African DNA tracing, at an event sponsored by the Young Professionals Association of the Columbus Urban League.

"This book, 'Roots Recovered' is the guide for anyone of African descent who wants to travel to Africa," White added. "I'll eliminate all your excuses for not going back to the Motherland."

To learn more about Roots Recovered, visit the author's website at www.rootsrecovered.com.

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