Alex Haley’s Roots displayed the brutal realities of slavery to more than 100 million Americans. The book and mini-series also made a bold claim: that Haley was the first Black American to trace his lineage all the way back to Africa, and to a specific ancestor captured into slavery. What would it mean, for Haley and America, if he hadn’t found what he said he’d found?

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One Year: 1977: Roots: The Saga of Alex Haley 57:01 Share

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One Year: 1977: Roots: The Saga of Alex Haley