Haley, Alexander Murray Palmer
1921-1992 · Contribution: 1965-1977
Literature & Writing
Authored 'Roots: The Saga of an American Family' and co-authored 'The Autobiography of Malcolm X'; the 1977 television adaptation of 'Roots' drew an estimated 130 to 140 million viewers, among the largest audiences in American television history
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Quick facts
- Born
- 1921-1992
- Category
- Literature & Writing
Impact on the world
Haley brought African American ancestry and the trauma of slavery into tens of millions of American homes, reshaping popular understanding of Black history, even as questions of originality and accuracy shadowed the work.
Sources
- The Washington Post
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