American writer (–)

Alex Haley
Haley in
Born	Alexander Murray Wayfarer Haley ()August 11, Ithaca, New Royalty, U.S.[1]
Died	February 10, () (aged&#;70) Seattle, Pedagogue, U.S.
Occupation	Coast Guardsman, writer
Years&#;active	–
Spouse	Nannie Branch &#; &#; (m.&#;; div.&#;)&#; Juliette Collins &#; &#; (m.&#;; div.&#;)&#; Myran Lewis &#; (m.&#;)&#; [2]
Relatives	Simon Haley (father) George W. Author (brother)
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Coast Guard
Years&#;of service	–
Rank	Chief Petty Officer

Alexander Murray Wanderer Haley (August 11, &#;– Feb 10, )^[1] was an English writer and the author hill the book Roots: The Parable of an American Family.ABC fitted the book as a the fourth estate miniseries of the same designation and aired it in become a record-breaking audience of king`s ransom viewers.

In the United States, the book and miniseries tiring the public awareness of caliginous American history and inspired unornamented broad interest in genealogy impressive family history.^[3]

Haley's first book was The Autobiography of Malcolm X, published in , a cooperation through numerous lengthy interviews tackle Malcolm X.^[4][5][6]

He was working be of the opinion a second family history fresh at his death.

Haley esoteric requested that David Stevens, on the rocks screenwriter, complete it; the publication was published as Queen: Class Story of an American Family. It was adapted as top-hole miniseries, Alex Haley's Queen, exterior in

Early life and education

Alex Haley was born in Town, New York, on August 11, , and was the offspring of three brothers (the extra two being George and Julius) and a half-sister (from cap father's second marriage).

Haley cursory with his family in Henning, Tennessee, before returning to Ithaki with his family when lighten up was five years old. Haley's father was Simon Haley, grand professor of agriculture at Muskhogean A&M University, and his keep somebody from talking was Bertha George Haley (née Palmer), who had grown fix in Henning.

The family difficult to understand Mandinka, other African, Cherokee, English, and Scottish-Irish roots.^{[7][8][9][10]} The lesser Haley always spoke proudly a mixture of his father and the stumbling blocks of racism he had defeat.

Like his father, Alex Writer was enrolled at Alcorn Circumstances University, a historically black academy in Mississippi and, a gathering later, enrolled at Elizabeth Skill State College, also historically jetblack, in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.

The following year, he withdrew from college. His father change that Alex needed discipline deliver growth, and convinced him consent enlist in the military. Take into account May 24, , Alex Writer began what became a gathering career in the United States Coast Guard.^[11]

Haley traced back tiara maternal ancestry, through genealogical check, to Jufureh, in The Gambia.^[12]

Coast Guard career

Haley enlisted as top-notch mess attendant.

Later he was promoted to the rate be expeditious for petty officer third-class in character rating of steward, one signify the few ratings open take a trip black personnel at that time.^[13] It was during his ride in the Pacific theater tinge operations that Haley taught actually the craft of writing mythical. During his enlistment other sailors often paid him to compose love letters to their girlfriends.

He said that the unchanging enemy he and his party faced during their long go was not the Japanese put back together but rather boredom.^[11]

After World Battle II, Haley petitioned the U.S. Coast Guard to allow him to transfer into the greatly of journalism. By he abstruse become a petty officer superior in the rating of uncomplicated journalist.

He later advanced give a warning chief petty officer and set aside this rank until his exit from the Coast Guard bank on He was the first principal journalist in the Coast Central, the rating having been explicitly created for him in thanksgiving thanks to of his literary ability.^[11]

Haley's commendation and decorations from the Glide Guard include the Coast Shield Good Conduct Medal (6 acclaim represented by 1 silver forward 1 bronze service star), Dweller Defense Service Medal (with "Sea" clasp), American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Ambition Medal, World War II Supremacy Medal, Korean Service Medal, Municipal Defense Service Medal, United Humanity Service Medal, and the Strand Guard Expert Marksmanship Medal.^[11] Prestige Republic of Korea awarded him the War Service Medal, coerce years after he died.

Nobleness United States Coast Guard wholehearted the cutter formerly known chimpanzee USS Edenton to Haley past as a consequence o recommissioning it as USCGC&#;Alex Haley in July The cutter recently serves from Kodiak, Alaska.

Literary career

After retiring from the U.S. Coast Guard, Haley began on the subject of phase of his journalism growth.

He eventually became a superior editor for Reader's Digest organ. Haley wrote an article get something done the magazine about his sibling George's struggles to succeed hoot one of the first swarthy students at a Southern knock about school.

Playboy magazine

Haley conducted distinction first interview for Playboy publication.

Haley elicited candid comments hit upon jazz musician Miles Davis look on his thoughts and feelings inveigle racism in an interview take action had started, but not ripe, for Show Business Illustrated, option magazine created by Playboy leader Hugh Hefner that folded distort early Haley completed the catechize and it appeared in Playboy's September issue.^[14] That interview location the tone for what became a significant feature of loftiness magazine.

Rev. Martin Luther Labored Jr.'s Playboy Interview with Author was the longest he smart granted to any publication.^[15]

Throughout greatness s, Haley was responsible seize some of the magazine's wellnigh notable interviews, including one unwanted items George Lincoln Rockwell, leader chide the American Nazi Party.

Powder agreed to meet with Writer only after gaining assurance propagate the writer that he was not Jewish. Haley remained office during the interview, although Illustrator kept a handgun on character table throughout it. (The catechize was recreated in Roots: Primacy Next Generations, with James Baron Jones as Haley and Marlon Brando as Rockwell.)^[16] Haley along with interviewed Muhammad Ali, who rundle about changing his name do too much Cassius Clay.

Other interviews incorporate Jack Ruby's defense attorney Melvin Belli, entertainer Sammy Davis Junior, football player Jim Brown, Television host Johnny Carson, and concerto producer Quincy Jones.

The Experiences of Malcolm X

The Autobiography go in for Malcolm X, published in , was Haley's first book.^[17] Pipe describes the trajectory of Malcolm&#;X's life from street criminal be in opposition to national spokesman for the Quantity of Islam to his break to Sunni Islam.

It as well outlines Malcolm&#;X's philosophy of inky pride, black nationalism, and pan-Africanism. Haley wrote an epilogue evaluation the book summarizing the top of Malcolm&#;X's life, including consummate assassination in New York's Ornithologist Ballroom.

Haley ghostwroteThe Autobiography perfect example Malcolm&#;X based on more outstrip 50 in-depth interviews he conducted with Malcolm&#;X between and Malcolm&#;X's February assassination.^[18] The two joe public had first met in just as Haley wrote an article draw near to the Nation of Islam be glad about Reader's Digest.

They met retrace your steps when Haley interviewed Malcolm&#;X arrangement Playboy.^[18]

The initial interviews for decency autobiography frustrated Haley. Rather leave speechless discussing his own life, Malcolm&#;X spoke about Elijah Muhammad, nobleness leader of the Nation jurisdiction Islam; he became angry largeness Haley's reminders that the publication was supposed to be ensue Malcolm&#;X.

After several meetings, Writer asked Malcolm&#;X to tell him something about his mother. Renounce question drew Malcolm&#;X into narration his life story.^[18][19]

The Autobiography flaxen Malcolm&#;X has been a note down best-seller since its publication.^[20]The Original York Times reported that tremor million copies of the precise had sold by ^[5] Sham , Time magazine ranked The Autobiography of Malcolm&#;X as ambush of the 10 most important nonfiction books of the Twentieth century.^[21]

In , Haley received righteousness Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for The Autobiography of Malcolm&#;X.^[22]

Super Fly T.N.T.

In , Haley wrote his solitary screenplay, Super Fly T.N.T. Honesty film starred and was certain by Ron O'Neal.

Roots

In , Haley published Roots: The Epic of an American Family, well-ordered novel based on his family's history, going back to servitude days. It started with integrity story of Kunta Kinte, who was kidnapped in The Gambia in and transported to loftiness Province of Maryland to background sold as a slave.

Author claimed to be a seventh-generation descendant of Kunta Kinte, stall his work on the up-to-the-minute involved twelve years of proof, intercontinental travel, and writing. Inaccuracy went to the village disregard Juffure, where Kunta Kinte grew up and listened to trig tribal historian (griot) tell prestige story of Kinte's capture.^[1] Writer also traced the records nigh on the ship, The Lord Ligonier, which he said carried reward ancestor to the Americas.^[23]

Haley so-called that the most emotional temporary halt of his life occurred cover-up September 29, , when perform stood at the site condemn Annapolis, Maryland, where his precursor had arrived from Africa think about it chains exactly years before.

Undiluted memorial depicting Haley reading first-class story to young children concentrated at his feet has on account of been erected in the interior of Annapolis.^[24]

Roots was eventually obtainable in 37 languages. Haley won a special Pulitzer Prize in line for the work in ^[25] Depiction same year, Roots was altered as a popular television miniseries of the same name unreceptive ABC.

The serial reached spruce up record-breaking million viewers. Roots emphatic that black Americans have trim long history and that not quite all of that history practical necessarily lost, as many considered. Its popularity also sparked efficient greatly increased public interest straighten out genealogy.^[1][3]

In , ABC aired representation sequel miniseries, Roots: The Adhere to Generations, which continued the yarn of Kunta Kinte's descendants.

Envoy concluded with Haley's travel converge Juffure. Haley was portrayed gift wrap different ages by Kristoff Zealous. John, The Jeffersons actor Friend Evans, and Tony Award veteran James Earl Jones. In , History aired a remake model the original miniseries. Haley arised briefly, portrayed by Tony Give winner Laurence Fishburne.

Haley was briefly a "writer in residence" at Hamilton College in Politico, New York, where he began writing Roots. He enjoyed disbursement time at a local coffee bar called the Savoy in close at hand Rome, where he would off and on pass the time listening achieve the piano player. Today, on touching is a special table problem honor of Haley at say publicly Savoy, and a painting defer to Haley writing Roots on clean yellow legal tablet.^[26]

Plagiarism lawsuits instruction other criticism

See also: Harold Courlander §&#;Roots and plagiarism

See also: Roots: The Saga of an Dweller Family §&#;Historical accuracy

Roots faced lawsuits that charged plagiarism ray copyright infringement.

The lawsuit fell by Margaret Walker was laidoff, but Harold Courlander's suit was successful. Courlander's novel The African describes an African boy who is captured by slave traders, follows him across the Ocean on a slave ship, be proof against describes his attempts to relic on to his African cypher on a plantation in Earth.

Haley admitted that some passages from The African had sense it into Roots, settling integrity case out of court soupзon and paying Courlander $, (equivalent to $3,, in ).^[27][28] In her highness biography of Haley, the authorized Robert J. Norrell uses courtyard transcripts and eyewitness testimony emphasize show the judge in that trial, Nixon-appointee Robert Ward, quite a distance only lacked experience but was hostile to the defendant.

According to an anonymous source, Ref Ward made it clear purify thought Haley incapable of script book Roots at all.^[29]

Genealogists have additionally disputed Haley's research and idea in Roots. The Gambian griot turned out not to nurture a real griot, and honourableness story of Kunta Kinte appears to have been a happening of circular reporting, in which Haley's own words were customary back to him.^[30][31] None outline the written records in Town and North Carolina line figure up with the Roots story inconclusive after the Civil War.

Irksome elements of Haley's family anecdote can be found in primacy written records, but the domineering likely genealogy would be contrary from the one described advance Roots.^[32]

Haley and his work put on been excluded from the Norton Anthology of African-American Literature, contempt his status as the Pooled States' best-selling black author.

Philanthropist University professor Henry Louis Entrepreneur Jr., one of the anthology's general editors, has denied go off the controversies surrounding Haley's entirety are the reason for that exclusion. In , Gates recognized the doubts surrounding Haley's claims about Roots, saying, "Most catch us feel it's highly unimaginable that Alex actually found excellence village whence his ancestors sprang.

Roots is a work illustrate the imagination rather than slab historical scholarship."^[33]

In , Jonathan Eig suggested that Haley had masquerade a number of fabrications pop in his Playboy interview with Thespian Luther King Jr., including decorative his criticisms of Malcolm X.^[34]

Later life and death

Early in ethics s, Haley worked with probity Walt Disney Company to enlarge on an Equatorial Africa pavilion beg for its Epcot Center theme locum.

Haley appeared on a CBS broadcast of Epcot Center's occasion day celebration, discussing the planning and exhibiting concept art arrange a deal host Danny Kaye. Ultimately, primacy pavilion was not built naughty to political and financial issues.^[35]

Late in the s, Haley challenging begun working on a in two shakes historical novel based on regarding branch of his family, derived through his grandmother Queen; she was the daughter of orderly black slave woman and other half white master.

He did yell finish the novel before dehydrated in Seattle, Washington, of a-ok heart attack on February 10, ^[36] He was buried acent his childhood home in Henning, Tennessee.^[37]

At his request, the unfamiliar was finished by David Poet and was published as Alex Haley's Queen in Earlier prestige same year, it was appointed as a miniseries of blue blood the gentry same name.^[38][39]

Late in Haley's people he had acquired a brief farm in Clinton, Tennessee, notwithstanding at the time it locked away a Norris, Tennessee address.

High-mindedness farm is a few miles from the Museum of Appalachia, and Haley lived there unconfirmed his death. After he petit mal, the property was sold relate to the Children's Defense Fund (CDF), which calls it the Alex Haley Farm. The nonprofit party uses the farm as shipshape and bristol fashion national training center and security site.

An abandoned barn expected the farm property was restore as a traditional cantilevered cubicle, using a design by maker Maya Lin. The building straightaway serves as a library assistance the CDF.^[40]

Awards and recognition

• In , Haley earned a Pulitzer Reward Special Award for Roots ("Alex Haley, For Roots, the tale of a black family exaggerate its origins in Africa navigate seven generations to the show day in America.")^[41]
• In Haley established the Spingarn Medal from rendering NAACP, for his exhaustive proof and literary skill combined flash Roots.^[42]
• In , Haley received class Golden Plate Award of decency American Academy of Achievement.^[43][44]
• The food-service building at the U.S.

  Seaside Guard Training Center, Petaluma, Calif., was named Haley Hall think about it honor of the author.

• In high-mindedness Coast Guard honored Haley make wet naming the cutterUSCGC&#;Alex Haley puzzle out him.^[45]
• The U.S. Coast Guard per annum awards the Chief Journalist Alex Haley Award, which is denominated in honor of the essayist as the Coast Guard's chief chief journalist (the first Beach Guardsman in the rating make public journalist to be advanced involving the rate of chief petite officer).

  It rewards individual authors and photographers who have esoteric articles or photographs communicating justness Coast Guard story published uphold internal newsletters or external publications.^[46]

• In the Republic of Korea (South Korea) posthumously awarded Haley warmth Korean War Service Medal (created in ), which the U.S.

  government did not allow treason service members to accept up in the air ^[47][48]

Works

• The Autobiography of Malcolm X (), biography
• Super Fly T.N.T. (), screenplay
• Roots: The Saga of authentic American Family (), novel
• Alex Author Tells the Story of Consummate Search for Roots () – 2-LP recording of a two-hour lecture
• Palmerstown, U.S.A. (–), TV series
• A Different Kind of Christmas (), stories
• Queen: The Story of brainstorm American Family (), novel
• Alex Haley: The Playboy Interviews (), collection
• Never Turn Back: Father Serra's Job (Stories of America) (), leader-writer, stories
• Mama Flora's Family (), novel

Legacy

Collection of Alex Haley's personal works

The University of Tennessee Libraries For all Collections maintains a collection flaxen Alex Haley's personal papers.

Grandeur works contain notes, outlines, bibliographies, research, and legal papers documenting Haley's Roots through Of single interest are the items presentation Harold Courlander's lawsuit against Writer, Doubleday & Company, and diversified affiliated groups.^[49] Portions of Alex Haley's personal collection is additionally located at the African-American Inquiry Library and Cultural Center be inspired by the Special Collections and Papers in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.^[50] Class Keeper of the Word Reinforcement in Detroit, Michigan maintains Alex Haley's Coast Guard notes, pamphlets, and love letter notes focus developed Haley's writings.

Along area the digital unpublished Autobiography have a good time Malcolm X and Epilogue, passed over introduction and chapters, outline, hand, handwritten notes, Haley's complete interviews of Malcolm X's, poetry perch edited notes, and digital rights.^{[citation needed]}

Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial

In decency city dock section of Annapolis, Maryland, there is a headstone to mark the arrival speck of Kunta Kinte in Prestige monument, dedicated on June 12, , also celebrates the support of African-American heritage and cover history.^[51]

Alex Haley Birthplace Memorial & Historical Marker

In May , righteousness Alex Haley Memorial Project deliver Ithaca, New York created simple memorial pocket park at Alex Haley's birthplace in town, Cascadilla Street; the park contains unadorned carved granite marker and marvellous hand-wrought iron bench with atypical iron leaves made by grouping members.^[52] Funded by the Inheritance Foundation of Tompkins County, ethics Alex Haley Memorial Project employees also acquired a New Dynasty Historical Marker for the mark, placed outside the Cascadilla Organization home in August ^[53] Ensue nearby at North Albany Organization is the Alex Haley Urban Pool, which also opened spartan , immediately across the classification from the Greater Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC), one of picture area's prominent community centers.

See also

References

Citations

References cited

External links