Alex Haley
Alexander Murray Palmer Haley (August 11, 1921 – February 10, 1992) was an American writer and the author of the 1976 book Roots: The Saga of an American Family. ABC adapted the book as a television miniseries of the same name and aired it in 1977 to a record-breaking audience of 130 million viewers. In the United States, the book and miniseries raised the public awareness of black American history and inspired a broad interest in genealogy and family history.
Alex Haley | |
|---|---|
Haley in 1980 | |
| Born | Alexander Murray Palmer Haley August 11, 1921 Ithaca, New York, U.S. |
| Died | February 10, 1992 (aged 70) Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Education | Alcorn State University Elizabeth City State University |
| Spouse | Nannie Branch (1941–1964) Juliette Collins (1964–1972) Myran Lewis (1977–1992) (his death) |
| Relatives | Simon Haley (father) George W. Haley (brother) |
Haley's first book was The Autobiography of Malcolm X, published in 1965, a collaboration through numerous lengthy interviews with Malcolm X.
He was working on a second family history novel at his death. Haley had requested that David Stevens, a screenwriter, complete it; the book was published as Queen: The Story of an American Family. It was adapted as a miniseries, Alex Haley's Queen, broadcast in 1993.