· when the original roots aired in 1977, nearly 85 percent of american homes watched some part of the eight-night event on the saga of kunta kinte (levar burton) and his descendants. · origins of a hit. · based on the novel by alex haley, “roots: · forty years after the premiere of “roots” captivated the nation , take a look back at the cultural phenomenon and its lasting legacy. The phenomenon began a few months earlier, with the. The saga of an american family,” the series traces the capture of west african kunta kinte, a teenager sold into slavery in america, and spans 100. The saga of an american family, set during and after the era of enslavement in the united states. The saga of an american family, a 1976 historical novel about author alex haley’s own family history, from the slave trade through the. Who starred in roots in 1977? The series began as roots: How many people watched roots? When did roots come out? · based on alex haley’s pulitzer prize-winning book, the show introduced viewers to kunta kinte, kizzy and chicken george. Roots is a 1977 american television miniseries based on alex haley s 1976 novel roots : · when the miniseries “ roots ” debuted on abc in january 1977, it created a powerful moment in american culture that remains significant today. Is roots based on a true story? The series showed african-americans an example of their own family backstory and, on a broader scale, presented america with a story central to its past.
