Why “Roots” Still Matters: Alex Haley’s East Tennessee Legacy

Nearly 50 years after it first aired, Roots remains one of the most influential television events in American history — and its creator, Alex Haley, left a lasting connection to East Tennessee.

When ABC aired the eight-night Roots mini-series in January 1977, it became a national phenomenon. Based on Haley’s 1976 book Roots: The Saga of an American Family, the series traced the story of Kunta Kinte and seven generations of descendants shaped by slavery and survival. The final episode drew an estimated 100 million-plus viewers, with roughly 130 million Americans watching at least part of the series, making it one of the most-watched television events in U.S. history. The mini-series sparked widespread classroom discussions about slavery, genealogy, race, and family history.

Haley received a special Pulitzer Prize in 1977 for Roots, and the book was translated into dozens of languages while inspiring Americans to research their own ancestry.

What many East Tennesseans may not realize is Haley’s deep regional connection. After achieving literary fame, Haley settled in East Tennessee, living in Clinton and serving as an advisor connected to Knoxville’s 1982 World’s Fair while also teaching periodically as an adjunct at the University of Tennessee.

His legacy remains visible today at Alex Haley Heritage Square in East Knoxville, home to a towering bronze statue honoring the author and storyteller whose work reshaped how many Americans viewed history and identity.

Recent debate over the removal of Roots from some school libraries in Tennessee has renewed questions about how communities teach difficult history — and why Haley’s work still resonates generations later.