Roots Alex Haley Pdf
Roots author Alex Haley on set in 1977Why did people cast doubts on the authenticity of Roots?With the spotlight on Roots and Alex Haley, it soon emerged that not everything was as it seemed.Firstly, there was the question of plagiarism. Alex Haley and Levar Burton, who played Kunta Kinte in the 1977 seriesHaley put a lot of focus on the oral history he heard from a griot in Juffure, which appeared to confirm his lineage.A true griot can speak for days, accurately recalling the history of their village and the families who live in it. But the Roots author relied on the story of his family’s history he heard from Kebba Kanga Fofana, who was not a genuine griot – even the head of the Gambian National Archives wrote a letter to Haley telling him so.Fofana knew exactly what to tell Haley, because the author had already told Gambian officials the story he was trying to authenticate. Haley also created a case of circular reporting by telling so many people his story that it became a reality in the oral tradition of the area.As a historical novel, Roots’ essential narrative echoed the experience of many African slaves and their families – but it is now widely agreed to be a novel and a work of imagination and invention. How did Alex Haley respond?