ROOTS Cultural Festival - Delray Beach, FL

 

Thirty years ago in 1977, Alex Haley’s book was transcribed into one of America’s most popular all-time television series. The author of The Autobiography of Malcolm X had done for America what few others could do. By bringing to life on television the story of his family’s saga from Africa, he inspired a nation to pursue the question "What is my ancestral past?" Millions of people in 1977 were glued to their televisions for seven straight nights being educated, if not re-educated, and inspired with the gripping adventure of Kunta Kinte and his journey to the shores of America. What we all saw during that seven-day period was courage, struggle, hope, intelligence, creativity and an undeniable sense of self-determination. What a lot of us saw was also our family’s journey.

 Viewers were mesmerized and at times perplexed as the scenes called our previous notions into question and painted a more realistic portrait of America history.