This is a very short clip of James Earl Jones (who later portrayed Alex Haley in Roots: The Next Generations) interviewing Alex Haley who is talking about a little book he hopes to finish writing soon called, Roots. Take note of how James Earl Jones mentions the title of the book as Roots: The Saga of Black People. A viewer of this video on the Black Omnibus web site commented, “Wow, it’s amazing to see Alex Haley talk about Roots before he even finished it!” Black Omnibus was a TV show hosted by James Earl Jones that taped in 1972 and aired for one season in 1973. The show was filmed in Hollywood before a live studio audience during the same time as the legendary WattStax Music Festival—one of the most significant events in African American musical history.

In 1983, Alex Haley visited Fort Wayne, Indiana to talk about his book Roots and TV mini-series that inspired the world. Steve Miller, host of A New Generation, interviewed Mr. Haley. Alex begins by mentioning Appalachian (A novel set in the Appalachian culture that Alex had researched extensively centering around the relationships among a mountain father, son and grandson.) and why he chooses ABC Television Network for a future mini-series on the novel. Alex then tells why he loves to touch different parts of this country via travel as it gives him a better sense and feel for America. In the second part of the interview, Alex talks about how he got started as a writer while serving in the U.S. Coast Guard. Alex then goes onto answering the host’s questions about Roots.

This is a rare television interview that Alex Haley did with Spike Lee, in 1992. It was for a series of black filmmakers specials that were shown on Black Entertainment Television (BET)—American cable network based in Washington D.C. Spike was in the thick of finishing his magnum opus 'Malcolm X' when Haley came calling to do the interview. Therefore, it was a perfect timing for these two popular personalities to come together and compare notes on the man and legend that was Malcolm X. Spike Lee later went on to write the screenplay and direct the Malcolm X (film) (1992), which was nominated for 2 Oscars, another 13 Wins and 5 Nominations. Sadly, this would be Alex Haley“s final television appearance as he was already in ill health and passed away just two months later.

Alex Haley at his Grandmother’s home in Henning. In this video, Alex describes how in the evening the lightning bugs and fire-flies would light up the whole lawn while stories were being told to him as a child by his Grandmother Cynthia and her sisters (Alex’s Great Aunt Liz, Great Aunt Till and Great Aunt Viney). The stories would center around how their parents were slaves with mention of Chicken George, Miss Kizzy and the African. Alex then talks about the influence of his Grandmother and how even today a sense of her is still present upon his shoulder. Alex then covers his visit to Africa, where the village people told him that he was the first African American they had ever seen. Alex then realized that he as well as all African Americans are a symbol of a people to them.

Alex Haley begins by discussing how it is said that for a long time—probably a century, the two areas African Americans can excel in—that it was accepted they might excel in are music and athletics and how we can see this today. Alex then discusses how it has evolved into other things where today young African Americans are able to do things their parents couldn’t do, such as being able to spell and write. Alex describes it as a swiftly evolving culture that is seeing African Americans able to move out, to diversify, to widen, to do whatever their capacities permit them to do. Alex then mentions how he has spoken to many parents who mention how their children have availed themselves of today’s opportunities, such as becoming a lawyer, or getting a degree, and how this has deeply touched him.

Alex Haley begins by discussing the time he was a sophomore in college back in 1939. Alex admits that he was not a particularly good student and how his professors and teachers would tell his parents that Alex was a day dreamer. Although Alex didn’t personally care about his poor grades, he mentions how his poor grades embarrassed his father who was a conformist. Thus, his father decided that Alex should mature and chose entry into the U.S. Coast Guard for him as it only had just a three year enlistment. Alex then talks about how the world of a sailor was totally better in every aspect than that of a student. Alex continues speaking about his experiences in the Coast Guard and how he began writing letters to his father’s friends extolling what a marvelous and adventurous life he was having.

Alex Haley begins with, “Somehow when you 'make it', the exciting thing is looking back upon the struggle.” He then covers how after he got out of the military he was scared to death that he wouldn’t make it as a full time freelance writer. Then his military buddy informed him that a Public Information Specialist position, paying $6,000 per year, was available for Alex if he were to accept it right now. Alex responded with, “I just want to keep trying to make it writing.” This caused his friend to get angry and bang down the phone. Alex reflects on how asinine it was to turn down the offer as he depicts his limited possessions in his Greenwich Village apartment. Alex then tells the 'sardines' story, where he dropped both cans (valued at twenty one cents) and the eighteen cents he had in his pocked into a sack and twisted the top. This story served as a metaphor for the philosophy he had towards life.

Alex Haley interviewed by Tom Brokaw on NBC Today Show, September 1976. Americans who can trace their ancestry to the hold of a slave trading ship are justice proud, black Americans, but tracing those roots, that’s a far more formidable task. And yet it has been done by Alex Haley, an American author and journalist who has written a book, a remarkable book called Roots. It is the story of his family, his life. Mr. Haley was a Coast Guardsman, a writer while he was in the Coast Guard and had the title of journalist. And then he wrote The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Author Alex Haley describes the nine years of research he did in 58 libraries on three continents to confirm family stories passed down through generations and then the three years it took to write Roots: The Saga of an American Family.

This special broadcast from 1977 features an extended interview with Alex Haley, author of Roots and The Autobiography of Malcolm X. The program, hosted by Ron Scott, followed shortly after the ABC network aired an eight-part miniseries based on the book, Roots. The miniseries became a national sensation and was one of the most-watched television programs ever. In the interview, Haley discusses the public reaction to Roots as well as his work on that book and the Malcolm X autobiography. He also talks about his future plans and his desire to get back to writing. The public’s fascination with Roots, he says, was overwhelming. “You spend years in a room with a typewriter, kind of hibernating, writing a book, and all of a sudden you discover that in effect, the world turns upside down. The biggest problem, ultimately, comes down to one of just sheer physical energy and time.”

Television’s most-watched history series, American Experience, brings to life the incredible characters and epic stories that have shaped America’s past and present. In a series of interviews, family members and friends remember and reflect upon Malcolm X. In the following video excerpt: A Synthesis of Roles, Alex Haley describes what is was like working with the civil rights leader while co-authoring his autobiography. Haley mentions how Malcolm would say. “I am a part of all I have met.” And by that he meant that all the things he had done in his earlier life had exposed him to things, had taught him skills of one another sort or had taught him traits of one another sort, all of which had synthesized into the Malcolm who became the spokesman for the nation of Islam.

Alex Haley began working on The Autobiography of Malcolm X with Malcolm in 1963. The book was published after Malcolm’s death in 1965. Haley recalls, One day Malcolm said to me, “Would I like to ride with him?” Periodically he would ask me that. He had a blue Oldsmobile and he liked to drive around, just tool around in Harlem. Sounded like he called it patrolling his beat. It was among his people and he genuinely enjoyed it. People would recognize him and they would wave. In some areas he was like Sugar Ray Robinson, driving around. And one such day, in an afternoon, we were in Harlem up in the 130’s area and all of a sudden Malcolm slapped his big foot on the brake, the car just jolted to a stop, screeched. And I said, “Oh my God, I knew we were shot,” because Malcolm was a target in lots of areas.

Alex Haley, author of Roots, offers perspective into the novel which became an enormously popular television miniseries. In this interview from the University of Washington, Haley shares with Upon Reflection host Marcia Alvar how the book and television adaptation ignited public interest in genealogy. Haley also discusses the publishing process and African-American leaders Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Upon Reflection is part of UWTV Classics. This series from the University of Washington features interviews with UW faculty and famous guests considered leaders in their fields. Marcia Alvar, Al Page and Ross Reynolds hosted this series from 1986 to 1998. These conversations about the arts, science, economics, politics, social issues and much more remain provocative and entertaining today.

LeVar Burton interviewed by Ann Curry on NBC Today Show, January 2002. On the 25th anniversary of the landmark TV mini-series Roots, actor LeVar Burton, who starred as Kunte Kinte, talks about the Alex Haley novel on which the series was based, and the traumatic experience of re-enacting the history of slavery in the U.S. Twenty-five years after the series aired, the legacy of Roots endures with a documentary called Roots: Celebrating 25 Years marking the miniseries’ silver anniversary. Burton ended with, “I think Alex would be absolutely tickled that 25 years later we can look at this as, not just a—a huge event in the history of television, but Roots in the late ’70s was part of a social awakening, and was a huge cultural phenomenon. Not just in this country, all over the world. I think he’d be really pleased by that.”

David Wolper was interviewed for nearly five-and-a-half hours in Los Angeles, CA. Wolper discussed in great detail his three highly acclaimed ABC mini-series, Roots, The Thorn Birds and North and South. This video interview was conducted by Morrie Gelman on May 12, 1998. Wolper’s closing remarks about Haley were, “I have to say the day I met Alex Haley until the day he passed away, he didn’t change this much. He was the same gentle, sweet, kind person—the kindest sweetest man you’d ever wanted to met. Bright and knew what he wanted but he was—he never changed. Fame did not do the same thing for him as it did to Freddy Prince. It did not affect him at all. Now he was an elder man—he wasn’t a young kid so he was able to handle it as he lived a full life.”

Using television programming as a powerful learning tool was one of the topics discussed with actor and director LeVar Burton during a video podcast with Cable in the Classroom. The podcast was recorded in conjunction with cable network TV One bringing Roots, the epic mini-series that 30 years ago changed the face of television, to a new generation of viewers. Burton recorded this video podcast focusing on the role of the mini-series Roots and how television programming is a powerful learning tool for teachers to use in schools across the country. Still the top-rated mini-series of all time, Roots in its initial airing on ABC was watched - in full or in part - in 85 percent of U.S. homes, a staggering number even in an era when there were only three television networks.

Forest Whitaker and Morgan Freeman present LeVar Burton, Louis Gossett Jr., Cicely Tyson, Leslie Uggams, John Amos, Ben Vereen, Todd Bridges, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Georg Stanford Brown, and Olivia Cole with the Anniversary Award in honor of Roots. It was an unforgettable evening as celebrities from television, music and film bestowed special tribute awards to some of television’s most iconic series and stars at the fifth annual TV Land Awards. The honorees included Lucille Ball (Legacy of Laughter Award), The Brady Bunch (Pop Culture Award), Roots (Anniversary Award), Hee Haw (Entertainer Award), Taxi (Medallion Award) and Heroes (Future Classic Award). The TV Land Awards was taped at The Barker Hangar on Saturday, April 14, 2007 in Santa Monica, CA.

LeVar Burton became an instant star with his television debut, playing Kunta Kinte in Roots, but he is just as well known in children’s television as the Daytime Emmy-winning host of Reading Rainbow, and in Sci-Fi television as the visor-wearing Lieutenant Geordi La Forge in Star Trek: The Next Generation. In this video, Burton describes his drama studies at the University of Southern California (USC), an intense regimen that left little free time. He chronicles his participation in the groundbreaking miniseries Roots: his casting, his immersion into the role he played and his work with the all-star cast. He comments on the legacy of Roots and speaks fondly of writer Alex Haley. “Kunta is a universal icon of freedom. How much of an honor to have been the person to create that role—in terms of [his] meaning to people all over the world.”

Located on the slopes of Morningside Park, a green space with a commanding view of historic Knoxville, the downtown business district and the Smoky Mountains is Haley Heritage Square. The site is easily accessible to interstate travelers. Above the park, at the top of the gently sloping hillside is Haley Heritage Square featuring a 13 foot high bronze statue of Alex Haley. Long one of the most beautiful stops on the fall color tour, the park is a favorite of bicyclists, walkers and joggers. The existing facility is complemented by the addition of Heritage Walk, an area dedicated to other well-known writers and prominent Tennesseans, as well as an amphitheater for special presentations and events.

Address: 1600 Dandridge Avenue Knoxville, Tennessee 37915

The Alex Haley House Museum has been restored to model the home as it was when Haley was born. Some of the 1919 furniture which decorates the home belonged to the Haley family. The restored building is open to the public as a Museum featuring Haley’s work, childhood memorabilia and references to the people who inspired his characters in Roots. Visitors can view the memorabilia and family artifacts that remain showcased. They also have the opportunity to make purchases at a small on-site gift shop as well as see Alex Haley’s final resting place at the front lawn of the home. Call today to schedule a tour: (731) 738-2240.

Address: 200 South Church Street Henning, Tennessee 38041

What Tennessee town was the boyhood home of the author of Roots? Tennessee Treasures took a trip to the Alex Haley House Museum featuring Alex Haley—writer of the novel Roots. This video is from episode two of the Tennessee Treasures program. It begins with an overview of Alex Haley’s Tennessee roots. Shortly after Alex was born, his parents moved to the town of Henning where Alex attended grade school. Fred Montgomery, childhood friend of Alex Haley, speaks about Alex’s early dreams of becoming a writer. The video then gives a short biography of Alex and his earlier works that lead to the release of Roots and TV mini-series.

Haley Farm is a beautiful 157-acre farm that once belonged to Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alex Haley. Purchased in 1994 by the Children’s Defense Fund, Haley Farm is a warm, welcoming country retreat consisting of guest cottages, chapel, meeting lodge and library. The facility connects young leaders and activists with the glorious heritage of the struggle for freedom, and is where policy makers and community builders come to connect, recharge their spiritual and physical batteries, and brainstorm strategies. The Children’s Defense Fund and its many programs have transformed Haley Farm into a vibrant training ground for the next generation of leadership, advocacy and service for children and families.

Address: 1000 Alex Haley Lane Clinton, Tennessee 37716