Alex Haley

Date of Birth: August 11, 1921

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Date of Death: February 10, 1992

Biography

Alexander Murray Palmer Haley, known as Alex Haley, was an American writer and the author of the groundbreaking novel “Roots: The Saga of an American Family.” Born on August 11, 1921, in Ithaca, New York, Haley’s early life was marked by a strong exposure to the oral traditions of African American storytelling. After attending Alcorn State University and Elizabeth City State College, he enlisted in the United States Coast Guard, where he served for 20 years and honed his writing skills. Haley began his writing career as a journalist and later achieved fame with his 1965 collaboration with Malcolm X on “The Autobiography of Malcolm X,” which became a seminal work in African American literature. His most famous work, “Roots,” published in 1976, traces his own ancestry back to Kunta Kinte, an African enslaved in America. The novel was adapted into a highly successful television miniseries, which aired in 1977 and had a profound cultural impact. Throughout his career, Haley received numerous awards, including a Pulitzer Prize and the Spingarn Medal from the NAACP. He passed away on February 10, 1992, leaving behind a legacy as a pioneering figure in African American literature and cultural history.

5 Interesting Facts about Alex Haley

1. Alex Haley served in the United States Coast Guard for 20 years, where he worked as a journalist.

2. Haley’s “Roots: The Saga of an American Family” spurred a nationwide interest in genealogy and African American history.

3. “Roots” was translated into 37 languages and sold millions of copies worldwide.

4. He received a Pulitzer Prize and a special citation from the National Book Foundation for his work on “Roots.”

5. Haley was posthumously awarded the Korean War Service Medal in 1999 for his service in the Coast Guard during the Korean War.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Alex Haley

1. “In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.”

2. “Roots is not just a saga of my family. It is a saga of all people.”

3. “Find the good and praise it.”

4. “Through oral history, we are the sum total of our ancestors.”

5. “History is written by the survivors, and they can often paint a very different picture than the one that really existed.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the height of his career, Alex Haley’s net worth was estimated to be around $10 million, largely due to the success of “Roots” and its adaptations.