If You Know Your Family’s Roots, You Might Want to Thank Alex Haley

Family, friends, and supporters celebrated Alex Haley’s 98^th birthday over the weekend at his childhood home in Henning, Tennessee. In 1976 Haley introduced America to the triumphant resilience of Black Americans when he wrote, Roots, which told the generational story of his own family, starting with the capture of his ancestor, Kunta Kinte, in Africa and the harrowing Transatlantic Slave Trade which delivered him to America. The book was made into an award-winning television movie that conferred cultural significance upon knowing your family history.

“He inspired so many to delve into their own history to learn more about those upon whose shoulders we stand,” said Owen Woodard, a filmmaker who attended the event. “How profoundly resilient and beautiful we as a people are!”

The book spent more than 40 weeks on The New York Times Bestseller list and was made into a television movie in 1977 (a remake of the miniseries was released in 2016), making household names of “Fiddler”, an older enslaved man who mentored a young Kunta Kinte in surviving plantation life, and Kizzy Kinte and “Chicken George” who were descendants of Kinte and Haley’s ancestors.

“I could definitely feel his spirit and the spirits of those whose lives we merely saw on our television screens five decades ago,” Woodard added.

Haley attended Alcorn University in Mississippi, enrolling when he was only 15-years-old. He served 20 years in the Coast Guard and fought in World War II and the Korean War. And, it was during his time in the military that Haley began to write, often penning letters for other servicemen to send their girlfriends. In 1965 Haley wrote his first book, The Autobiography of Malcolm X which was based on more than 50 interviews with the subject.

“Happy Birthday”

Organizers invited a St. Louis-based singer to lead the “Happy Birthday” tribute. Dr. Marty K. Casey manages the ‘Show Me Arts Academy’.

Casey said singing at Haley’s birthday celebration “reminded me of the power of a strong legacy.” She also wrote a poem for the occasion which will be hung in the Haley museum.

“We did not just celebrate his birth, but we honored him in life because he lived with a purpose that we all can still benefit from today,” added Casey. “He encouraged us all to get to know our past because our futures are worth more than what we didn’t know.”

Woodard is looking forward to preserving his family history. Later this month he plans to attend his great-aunt’s 95^th birthday celebration.

He said, “I’m not going to squander the opportunity to learn about my family’s history…I can’t wait to dig into my own family history and discover the heroes and sheroes in my own bloodlines as Alex Haley found through his.”