I remember the talk about a man researching his familial beginnings back in 1976 and shrugged if off thinking it was another individual going the genealogy route looking for legitimacy. Six months later toward the latter part of that year I found out that one, Alex Haley, indeed was serious and had documented through travel, porous research, and due diligence in producing a seminal tome worthy of the literary world’s penchant for proof positive. Roots, was the name of the book and everything documented therein helped to create the legacy of a man on a mission! I grabbed a copy of Reader’s Digest to start my journey with this arduous quest. Reading the excerpts I was hooked, and over the years I’ve read the book twice, including having seen numerous reruns of the mini-series that captivated us, and further sealed the phenomena that commanded our apt attention.
Reader’s Digest played a major role in the transformation of this epic to fruition. Commissioned to write a groundbreaking article on his family, it proved to be the forerunner for an all expense paid trip to Africa tracing his family’s history from one generation to another, culminating into the nearly 700-page product destined to become a bestseller and Pulitzer Prize winner. Despite subsequent problematic issues surrounding Haley not being a Historian, along with lack of written records, legitimate sources, and reliable documentation, Roots effected the life of many and impacted race consciousness in a country that needed it most.
Speaking of Reader’s Digest, and to commemorate the 30-year anniversary of the first printing of Roots, they have published a collection of Haley’s important works detailing ordinary folk accomplishing extraordinary feats from 1954 t0 1991. The book, “Alex Haley", and subtitled, "The Man Who Traced America’s Roots” should be on the shelves as you read this piece. I found this collection to be quite informative, and gave spotlight to stories of people overcoming great odds to achieve success. Our trials and tribulations being Black in America are full of superlative initiative when the sum of all the parts equals total effort.
The book has four sections – Stories of Triumph, Race and Resilience, The Search Begins, and The Legacy. In them, you find Mr. Haley delving deep in bringing the blood, sweat and tears of protracted struggle to the fore. Along the way you will meet up close and personal, Mahalia Jackson, Wilma Rudolph, et al; Harlem, USA, the little ‘city’ that could; and a few other gems worth your time. The latter two chapters are purely good journalism ditties where the author gives insight on the steps preparing the search, and revealing poignant revelations that helped build and begat the legacy.
I enjoyed this book because it establishes the foundation for understanding the book Roots just that much better. Moreover, it forced America to look at race for a better reason for reconciliation…accessible regardless of creed, color, and ethnicity. Salute Alex Haley posthumously if you will, but know that he delivered an amusing, intuitive, and majestic work for the ages!
