Remembering Roots

Discover how the book and TV miniseries Roots became a cultural phenomenon that has shaped our understanding of heritage, race, identity, and family for fifty years.

As we mark the fiftieth anniversaries of Alex Haley's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Roots (1976) and its landmark television adaptation (1977), journalist and storyteller Lucas L. Johnson II reflects on the enduring legacy of Haley's work through the voices of those it continues to move, including scholars, artists, genealogists, students, and original cast members like LeVar Burton and Ben Vereen.

With vivid personal anecdotes, emotional tributes, and probing reflections, Remembering Roots shows how Haley's vision gave birth to a genealogy movement, inspired generations to reclaim their identities, and challenged America to confront its past. From a woman who watched the miniseries as a sixth grader and was inspired to become the first lawyer in her family, to a blind musician empowered by his father's retelling of Roots' most iconic scene, Johnson traces the ripple effects of Haley's griot storytelling across time and culture.

As debates rage over which histories get told, Remembering Roots boldly asserts the necessity to remember and retell our stories. A call to action, this book reaffirms that storytelling is not just an art-it's a path to healing.

"With Remembering Roots, Lucas L. Johnson II has offered us a gift. A testament to the enduring power of Alex Haley's Roots, this book is a heartfelt tribute to the cultural phenomenon that riveted the nation in the 1970s. Rich in detail and wide-ranging in scope, the personal recollections in Remembering Roots not only remind us of who we once were, but also offer insight into who we can still become."-Erica L. Ball, professor of Black studies, Occidental College, and coeditor of Reconsidering Roots: Race, Politics, and Memory