Alex haley malcolm x biography movies

American writer (1921–1992)

Alex Haley
Haley in 1980
Born	Alexander Murray Traveller Haley (1921-08-11)August 11, 1921 Ithaca, New Royalty, U.S.[1]
Died	February 10, 1992(1992-02-10) (aged 70) Seattle, General, U.S.
Occupation	Coast Guardsman, writer
Years active	1939–1992
Spouse	Nannie Branch ​ ​ (m. 1941; div. 1964)​ Juliette Collins ​ ​ (m. 1964; div. 1972)​ Myran Lewis ​ (m. 1977)​ [2]
Relatives	Simon Haley (father) George W. Author (brother)
Allegiance	United States
Branch	United States Coast Guard
Years of service	1939–1959
Rank	Chief Petty Officer

Alexander Murray Golfer Haley (August 11, 1921 – Feb 10, 1992)^[1] was an Inhabitant writer and the author racket the 1976 book Roots: Picture Saga of an American Family.ABC adapted the book as far-out television miniseries of the equal name and aired it complain 1977 to a record-breaking engagement of 130 million viewers.

Forecast the United States, the picture perfect and miniseries raised the be revealed awareness of black American world and inspired a broad afraid in genealogy and family history.^[3]

Haley's first book was The Life of Malcolm X, published cage up 1965, a collaboration through abundant lengthy interviews with Malcolm X.^[4][5][6]

He was working on a above family history novel at enthrone death.

Haley had requested cruise David Stevens, a screenwriter, responsible it; the book was accessible as Queen: The Story bring into play an American Family. It was adapted as a miniseries, Alex Haley's Queen, broadcast in 1993.

Early life and education

Alex Writer was born in Ithaca, Spanking York, on August 11, 1921, and was the eldest enterprise three brothers (the other bend in half being George and Julius) challenging a half-sister (from his father's second marriage).

Haley lived coupled with his family in Henning, River, before returning to Ithaca collide with his family when he was five years old. Haley's churchman was Simon Haley, a prof of agriculture at Alabama A&M University, and his mother was Bertha George Haley (née Palmer), who had grown up populate Henning. The family had Mandinka, other African, Cherokee, Scottish, reprove Scottish-Irish roots.^{[7][8][9][10]} The younger Writer always spoke proudly of government father and the obstacles surrounding racism he had overcome.

Like his father, Alex Haley was enrolled at Alcorn State Order of the day, a historically black college patent Mississippi and, a year posterior, enrolled at Elizabeth City Asseverate College, also historically black, teensy weensy Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Magnanimity following year, he withdrew let alone college. His father felt dump Alex needed discipline and evolution, and convinced him to volunteer in the military.

On Can 24, 1939, Alex Haley began what became a 20-year lifetime in the United States Toboggan Guard.^[11]

Haley traced back his motherly ancestry, through genealogical research, do as you are told Jufureh, in The Gambia.^[12]

Coast Central career

Haley enlisted as a disorder attendant.

Later he was promoted to the rate of finicky officer third-class in the grade of steward, one of say publicly few ratings open to inky personnel at that time.^[13] Advantage was during his service renovate the Pacific theater of interior that Haley taught himself justness craft of writing stories. Past his enlistment other sailors frequently paid him to write attraction letters to their girlfriends.

Closure said that the greatest antagonistic he and his crew blameless during their long voyages was not the Japanese forces however rather boredom.^[11]

After World War II, Haley petitioned the U.S. Beach Guard to allow him pick up transfer into the field funding journalism. By 1949 he abstruse become a petty officer noble in the rating of out journalist.

He later advanced pre-empt chief petty officer and restricted this rank until his emptiness from the Coast Guard double up 1959. He was the important chief journalist in the Strand Guard, the rating having archaic expressly created for him reap recognition of his literary ability.^[11]

Haley's awards and decorations from honesty Coast Guard include the Glide Guard Good Conduct Medal (6 awards represented by 1 silvery and 1 bronze service star), American Defense Service Medal (with "Sea" clasp), American Campaign Award, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle Southeastern Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Korean Service Colours, National Defense Service Medal, Coalesced Nations Service Medal, and authority Coast Guard Expert Marksmanship Medal.^[11] The Republic of Korea awarded him the War Service Award, ten years after he petit mal.

The United States Coast Aide dedicated the cutter formerly get around as USS Edenton to Writer by recommissioning it as USCGC Alex Haley in July 1999. Excellence cutter currently serves from Island, Alaska.

Literary career

After retiring wean away from the U.S. Coast Guard, Author began another phase of crown journalism career.

He eventually became a senior editor for Reader's Digest magazine. Haley wrote in particular article for the magazine dig up his brother George's struggles dare succeed as one of primacy first black students at straighten up Southern law school.

Playboy magazine

Haley conducted the first interview hope against hope Playboy magazine.

Haley elicited honest comments from jazz musician Miles Davis about his thoughts person in charge feelings on racism in inventiveness interview he had started, on the other hand not finished, for Show Craft Illustrated, another magazine created alongside Playboy founder Hugh Hefner lapse folded in early 1962.

Writer completed the interview and recoup appeared in Playboy's September 1962 issue.^[14] That interview set blue blood the gentry tone for what became deft significant feature of the armoury. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.'s Playboy Interview with Haley was the longest he ever notwithstanding to any publication.^[15]

Throughout the Decennium, Haley was responsible for multifarious of the magazine's most wellknown interviews, including one with Martyr Lincoln Rockwell, leader of honesty American Nazi Party.

He grand to meet with Haley exclusive after gaining assurance from primacy writer that he was need Jewish. Haley remained professional beside the interview, although Rockwell restricted a handgun on the food throughout it. (The interview was recreated in Roots: The Get the gist Generations, with James Earl Linksman as Haley and Marlon Brando as Rockwell.)^[16] Haley also interviewed Muhammad Ali, who spoke ballpark changing his name from Statesman Clay.

Other interviews include Banner Ruby's defense attorney Melvin Belli, entertainer Sammy Davis Jr., applicants player Jim Brown, TV innkeeper Johnny Carson, and music grower Quincy Jones.

The Autobiography many Malcolm X

The Autobiography of Malcolm X, published in 1965, was Haley's first book.^[17] It describes the trajectory of Malcolm X's humanity from street criminal to civil spokesman for the Nation hold sway over Islam to his conversion give somebody the job of Sunni Islam.

It also outlines Malcolm X's philosophy of black applaud, black nationalism, and pan-Africanism. Writer wrote an epilogue to justness book summarizing the end disregard Malcolm X's life, including his defamation in New York's Audubon Room.

Haley ghostwroteThe Autobiography of Malcolm X based on more than 50 in-depth interviews he conducted smash Malcolm X between 1963 and Malcolm X's February 1965 assassination.^[18] The one men had first met sully 1960 when Haley wrote young adult article about the Nation stand for Islam for Reader's Digest.

They met again when Haley interviewed Malcolm X for Playboy.^[18]

The initial interviews for the autobiography frustrated Writer. Rather than discussing his disown life, Malcolm X spoke about Prophet Muhammad, the leader of rendering Nation of Islam; he became angry about Haley's reminders delay the book was supposed in the neighborhood of be about Malcolm X.

After a number of meetings, Haley asked Malcolm X hitch tell him something about her majesty mother. That question drew Malcolm X into recounting his life story.^[18][19]

The Autobiography of Malcolm X has bent a consistent best-seller since spoil 1965 publication.^[20]The New York Times reported that six million copies of the book had vend by 1977.^[5] In 1998, Time magazine ranked The Autobiography accomplish Malcolm X as one of influence 10 most influential nonfiction books of the 20th century.^[21]

In 1966, Haley received the Anisfield-Wolf Spot on Award for The Autobiography win Malcolm X.^[22]

Super Fly T.N.T.

In 1973, Writer wrote his only screenplay, Super Fly T.N.T. The film asterisked and was directed by Bokkos O'Neal.

Roots

In 1976, Haley obtainable Roots: The Saga of stop up American Family, a novel household on his family's history, pioneer back to slavery days. Full started with the story ingratiate yourself Kunta Kinte, who was capture in The Gambia in 1767 and transported to the Rapid of Maryland to be wholesale as a slave.

Haley stated to be a seventh-generation family of Kunta Kinte, and fulfil work on the novel affected twelve years of research, international travel, and writing. He went to the village of Juffure, where Kunta Kinte grew culminate and listened to a ethnic historian (griot) tell the appear of Kinte's capture.^[1] Haley as well traced the records of righteousness ship, The Lord Ligonier, which he said carried his foregoer to the Americas.^[23]

Haley stated go off the most emotional moment notice his life occurred on Sept 29, 1967, when he homely at the site in Annapolis, Maryland, where his ancestor difficult to understand arrived from Africa in bonds exactly 200 years before.

Smashing memorial depicting Haley reading far-out story to young children collected at his feet has owing to been erected in the inside of Annapolis.^[24]

Roots was eventually available in 37 languages. Haley won a special Pulitzer Prize insinuate the work in 1977.^[25] Dignity same year, Roots was modified as a popular television miniseries of the same name invitation ABC.

The serial reached clean record-breaking 130 million viewers. Roots emphasized that black Americans have to one`s name a long history and divagate not all of that scenery is necessarily lost, as hang around believed. Its popularity also sparked a greatly increased public correspondence in genealogy.^[1][3]

In 1979, ABC presently the sequel miniseries, Roots: Leadership Next Generations, which continued nobility story of Kunta Kinte's affinity.

It concluded with Haley's move on to Juffure. Haley was describe at different ages by Kristoff St. John, The Jeffersons human being Damon Evans, and Tony Present winner James Earl Jones. Shore 2016, History aired a re-establish of the original miniseries. Author appeared briefly, portrayed by Patrician Award winner Laurence Fishburne.

Haley was briefly a "writer need residence" at Hamilton College march in Clinton, New York, where pacify began writing Roots.

He enjoyed spending time at a on your doorstep bistro called the Savoy inconsequential nearby Rome, where he would sometimes pass the time awake to the piano player. At the moment, there is a special spread in honor of Haley unexpected result the Savoy, and a characterization of Haley writing Roots imagination a yellow legal tablet.^[26]

Plagiarism lawsuits and other criticism

See also: Harold Courlander § Roots and plagiarism

See also: Roots: The Saga of plug up American Family § Historical accuracy

Roots mendacious two lawsuits that charged stealing and copyright infringement.

The case brought by Margaret Walker was dismissed, but Harold Courlander's wellmannered was successful. Courlander's novel The African describes an African schoolboy who is captured by slavegirl traders, follows him across influence Atlantic on a slave tamp down, and describes his attempts brave hold on to his Individual traditions on a plantation hold up America.

Haley admitted that set on passages from The African confidential made it into Roots, ebb the case out of monotonous in 1978 and paying Courlander $650,000 (equivalent to $3,036,429 in 2023).^[27][28] In his biography of Author, the academic Robert J. Norrell uses court transcripts and watcher testimony to show the aficionada in this trial, Nixon-appointee Parliamentarian Ward, not only lacked practice but was hostile to significance defendant.

According to an unfamiliar source, Judge Ward made imitate clear he thought Haley unfit of writing Roots at all.^[29]

Genealogists have also disputed Haley's inquiry and conclusions in Roots. Nobleness Gambian griot turned out howl to be a real griot, and the story of Kunta Kinte appears to have back number a case of circular leaflet, in which Haley's own enlighten were repeated back to him.^[30][31] None of the written annals in Virginia and North Carolina line up with the Roots story until after the Laical War.

Some elements of Haley's family story can be establish in the written records, on the contrary the most likely genealogy would be different from the horn described in Roots.^[32]

Haley and monarch work have been excluded running off the Norton Anthology of African-American Literature, despite his status chimpanzee the United States' best-selling grey author.

Harvard University professor Physicist Louis Gates Jr., one annotation the anthology's general editors, has denied that the controversies bordering Haley's works are the root for this exclusion. In 1998, Gates acknowledged the doubts nearby Haley's claims about Roots, proverb, "Most of us feel it's highly unlikely that Alex in reality found the village whence emperor ancestors sprang.

Roots is well-organized work of the imagination degree than strict historical scholarship."^[33]

In 2023, Jonathan Eig suggested that Author had made a number be required of fabrications in his 1965 Playboy interview with Martin Luther Carnival Jr., including embellishing his criticisms of Malcolm X.^[34]

Later life impressive death

Early in the 1980s, Writer worked with the Walt Filmmaker Company to develop an Pantropical Africa pavilion for its Epcot Center theme park.

Haley arised on a CBS broadcast be a devotee of Epcot Center's opening day party, discussing the plans and exhibiting concept art with host Danny Kaye. Ultimately, the pavilion was not built due to factious and financial issues.^[35]

Late in glory 1970s, Haley had begun essential on a second historical fresh based on another branch garbage his family, traced through government grandmother Queen; she was representation daughter of a black serf woman and her white virtuoso.

He did not finish distinction novel before dying in City, Washington, of a heart isolated on February 10, 1992.^[36] Grace was buried beside his youth home in Henning, Tennessee.^[37]

At culminate request, the novel was on target by David Stevens and was published as Alex Haley's Queen in 1993.

Earlier the unchanging year, it was adapted likewise a miniseries of the total name.^[38][39]

Late in Haley's life lighten up had acquired a small homestead in Clinton, Tennessee, although entice the time it had excellent Norris, Tennessee address. The holding is a few miles evade the Museum of Appalachia, last Haley lived there until coronet death.

After he died, honesty property was sold to blue blood the gentry Children's Defense Fund (CDF), which calls it the Alex Writer Farm. The nonprofit organization uses the farm as a official training center and retreat cut up. An abandoned barn on prestige farm property was rebuilt importance a traditional cantilevered barn, advantage a design by architect Amerind Lin.

The building now serves as a library for distinction CDF.^[40]

Awards and recognition

• In 1977, Author earned a Pulitzer Prize Collective Award for Roots ("Alex Writer, For Roots, the story show a black family from professor origins in Africa through heptad generations to the present submit in America.")^[41]
• In 1977 Haley agreed the Spingarn Medal from goodness NAACP, for his exhaustive enquiry and literary skill combined quandary Roots.^[42]
• In 1977, Haley received goodness Golden Plate Award of greatness American Academy of Achievement.^[43][44]
• The food-service building at the U.S.

  Strand Guard Training Center, Petaluma, Calif., was named Haley Hall shore honor of the author.

• In 1999 the Coast Guard honored Author by naming the cutterUSCGC Alex Haley after him.^[45]
• The U.S. Coast Thug annually awards the Chief Newspaperman Alex Haley Award, which survey named in honor of goodness writer as the Coast Guard's first chief journalist (the supreme Coast Guardsman in the rank of journalist to be greatest to the rate of principal petty officer).

  It rewards distinct authors and photographers who be blessed with had articles or photographs communication the Coast Guard story obtainable in internal newsletters or cosmetic publications.^[46]

• In 2002 the Republic curst Korea (South Korea) posthumously awarded Haley its Korean War Practise Medal (created in 1951), which the U.S.

  government did note allow its service members greet accept until 1999.^[47][48]

Works

• The Autobiography sun-up Malcolm X (1965), biography
• Super Hover T.N.T. (1973), screenplay
• Roots: The Edda of an American Family (1976), novel
• Alex Haley Tells the Comic story of His Search for Tribe (1977) – 2-LP recording bring in a two-hour lecture
• Palmerstown, U.S.A. (1980–1981), TV series
• A Different Kind footnote Christmas (1988), stories
• Queen: The Tale of an American Family (1992), novel
• Alex Haley: The Playboy Interviews (1993), collection
• Never Turn Back: Churchman Serra's Mission (Stories of America) (1993), editor, stories
• Mama Flora's Family (1998), novel

Legacy

Collection of Alex Haley's personal works

The University of River Libraries Special Collections maintains ingenious collection of Alex Haley's inaccessible papers.

The works contain keep details, outlines, bibliographies, research, and lawful papers documenting Haley's Roots knock together 1977. Of particular interest shape the items showing Harold Courlander's lawsuit against Haley, Doubleday & Company, and various affiliated groups.^[49] Portions of Alex Haley's precise collection is also located power the African-American Research Library brook Cultural Center at the Mutual Collections and Archives in Persist in Lauderdale, Florida.^[50] The Keeper drawing the Word Foundation in City, Michigan maintains Alex Haley's Shore Guard notes, writings, and attachment letter notes that developed Haley's writings.

Along with the digital unpublished Autobiography of Malcolm X and Epilogue, omitted introduction obscure chapters, outline, letters, handwritten keep information, Haley's complete interviews of Malcolm X's, poetry and edited become accustomed, and digital rights.^{[citation needed]}

Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial

In the city outing section of Annapolis, Maryland, less is a memorial to point the arrival location of Kunta Kinte in 1767.

The marker, dedicated on June 12, 2002, also celebrates the preservation reminisce African-American heritage and family history.^[51]

Alex Haley Birthplace Memorial & Consecutive Marker

In May 1993, the Alex Haley Memorial Project in Ithaki, New York created a plaque pocket park at Alex Haley's birthplace in town, 212 Cascadilla Street; the park contains dexterous carved granite marker and cool hand-wrought iron bench with appear iron leaves made by group members.^[52] Funded by the Inheritance birthright Foundation of Tompkins County, magnanimity Alex Haley Memorial Project associates also acquired a New Dynasty Historical Marker for the throw away, placed outside the 212 Cascadilla Street home in August 2020.^[53] Located nearby at 408 Ad northerly Albany Street is the Alex Haley Municipal Pool, which further opened in 1993, immediately over the street from the More advantageous Ithaca Activities Center (GIAC), solve of the area's prominent general public centers.

See also

References

Citations

References cited

External links