Alex Haley Publishes 'Roots,' Catalyzing Mass Reckoning with Slavery

Alex Haley published 'Roots: The Saga of an American Family' in October 1976, tracing his ancestry from Kunta Kinte's capture in Gambia through American slavery to freedom. The ABC television adaptation in January 1977 was watched by over 100 million viewers across eight nights, the largest TV audience to that date. The work transformed public consciousness about slavery's specificity and scope.