Alex Haley (1921–92,) fully Alexander Murray Palmer Haley, was an American novelist and biographer. His works of historical fiction and reportage portrayed the struggles of African-Americans.
Born in Ithaca, New York, Haley grew up in North Carolina and worked as a coastguard for 20 years 1939–59. He turned to write with the publication of The Autobiography of Malcolm X (1965,) which he co-wrote after the Black Muslim activist’s assassination.
Haley is also known for his successful Roots: The Saga of an American Family (1976; Pulitzer, 1977.) Beginning with the life of Kunta Kinte, an African who was enslaved and taken to America, this novel documented the history of African-Americans. Its optimistic approach rendered it accessible to a broad audience. It was being adapted for television in 1977, starring Cicely Tyson and Maya Angelou. It was followed by the successful sequel Roots: The Next Generations (1979.)
Haley’s Queen: The Story of an American Family (1993) was published posthumously.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Alex Haley
In every conceivable manner, the family is link to our past, bridge to our future.
—Alex Haley
Topics: Family
Roots is not just a saga of my family. It is the symbolic saga of a people.
—Alex Haley
Topics: Family
Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do. Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children.
—Alex Haley
Either you deal with what is the reality, or you can be sure that the reality is going to deal with you
—Alex Haley
Topics: Reality
The way to succeed is never quit. That’s it. But really be humble about it … You start out lowly and humble and you carefully try to learn an accretion of little things that help you get there.
—Alex Haley
Topics: Resolve, One Step at a Time, Perseverance, Endurance
You have to deal with the fact that your life is your life.
—Alex Haley
Topics: Awareness, Realization, Being Ourselves, Acceptance
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