3.396 minSeason 1 • Episode 8
LatestThe Civil War is over but night riders terrorize ex-slaves. By marking his clients' horseshoes, Tom identifies the raiders but endangers his own life. Chicken George, who fought for the Union, rejoins his family. He leads them to a new home in Tennessee.
The epic tale of celebrated Pulitzer-prize winning author Alex Haley's ancestors as portrayed in the acclaimed twelve hour mini-series Roots, was first told in his 1976 bestseller Roots: The Saga of an American Family. The docu-drama covers a period of history that begins in mid-1700s Gambia, West Africa and concludes during post-Civil War United States, over 100 years later. This 1977 miniseries eventually won 9 Emmy awards, a Golden Globe award, and a Peabody award, and still stands as the most watched miniseries in U.S. history.
Acting
LeVar Burton's Kunta Kinte debut—raw, iconic, career-defining.
Writing
Haley's obsessive genealogical detective work, adapted with devastating clarity.
Production
1977 network TV taking this risk changed what television could confront.
Creator
Alex Haley
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
An estimated 130 million Americans watched at least part—roughly 85% of all TV-owning households, a record that still stands.
ABC executives feared white audiences would flee; instead, Roots arguably did more for primetime racial representation than decades of activism.
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