This Day in Black History: April 18, 1977
Alex Haley was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in journalism for his groundbreaking novel "Roots."
Alex Haley was a writer whose works of historical fiction and reportage depicted generations of African American lives. He is widely known for 'Roots' and 'The Autobiography of Malcolm X.'
Who Was Alex Haley?
Alex Haley served in the U.S. Coast Guard for two decades before pursuing a career as a writer. He eventually helmed a series of interviews for Playboy magazine and later co-authored The Autobiography of Malcolm X. The following decade, Haley made history with his book Roots, chronicling his family line from Gambia to the enslaved-holding South. The Pulitzer Prize-winning book was turned into a 1977 miniseries that became one of the most popular TV shows of all time. Major controversy ensued, however, when Haley was accused of plagiarism and presenting historical and genealogical inaccuracies. Nonetheless, Roots has remained a groundbreaking work in the public imagination.
Early Life
Haley was born Alexander Murray Palmer Haley on August 11, 1921, in Ithaca, New York. At the time of his birth, Haley's father, Simon, a World War I veteran, was a graduate student in agriculture at Cornell University, and his mother, Bertha, was a musician and teacher.
For the first years of his life, Haley, who was called Palmer during childhood, lived with his grandparents Cynthia and Will in Henning, Tennessee, while his father finished his studies. Upon Will's death, Haley's parents returned to Tennessee where Simon procured work at Lane College. Haley was proud of his father, whom he said had overcome the immense obstacles of racism to achieve high levels of success and provide better opportunities for his children.
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Posted By: Dea. Ron Gray Sr.
Monday, April 18th 2022 at 1:03PM
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