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When Alex Haley's book Roots was published by Doubleday in 1976 it became an immediate bestseller. The television series, broadcast by ABC in 1977, became the most popular miniseries of all time, captivating over a hundred million Americans. For the first time, Americans saw slavery as an integral part of the nation's history. With a remake of the series in 2016 by A&E Networks, Roots has again entered the national conversation. In Making "Roots," Matthew F. Delmont looks at the importance, contradictions, and limitations of mass culture and examines how Roots pushed the boundaries of history. Delmont investigates the decisions that led Alex Haley, Doubleday, and ABC to invest in the story of Kunta Kinte, uncovering how Haley's original, modest book proposal developed into an unprecedented cultural phenomenon.

Haley, Alex. --- Haley, Alex --- Roots (Television program : 1977) --- Roots: the next generations --- HISTORY / United States / 21st Century. --- african american. --- american culture. --- american history. --- american literature. --- american television. --- black history. --- culture. --- famous author. --- famous literature. --- film adaptation. --- film and television. --- kunta kinte. --- mass culture. --- media. --- miniseries. --- race relations. --- race. --- racism. --- roots. --- slavery. --- social history. --- social issues. --- television. --- us history.