Alex Haley

1921 – 1992

Alexander Murray Palmer Haley was an American writer whose 1976 book Roots: The Saga of an American Family traced his ancestry back to the West African boy Kunta Kinte, captured and sold into American slavery, and won a special Pulitzer Prize in 1977. ABC's 1977 television adaptation drew an estimated 130 million viewers across its broadcast week and remains one of the most-watched American miniseries of all time. He had earlier ghostwritten The Autobiography of Malcolm X (1965), one of the most influential books of the 20th century.

Last checked: May 10, 2026, 1:06 PM