Reconsidering Roots: Race, Politics, and Memory

Since 1970: Histories of Contemporary America

by Erica L. Ball (Contributor), Kellie Carter Jackson (Contributor), Norvella Carter (Contributor)

This wide-ranging interdisciplinary collection—the first of its kind—invites us to recon­sider the politics and scope of the Roots phenomenon of the 1970s. Alex Haley’s 1976 book was a publishing sensation, selling over a million copies in its first year and winning a National Book Award and a special Pulitzer Prize. The 1977 television adaptation was more than a blockbuster miniseries—it was a galvanizing national event, drawing a record-shattering viewership, earning thirty-eight Emmy nominations, and changing overnight the discourse on race, civil rights, and slavery.

These essays—from emerging and established scholars in history, sociology, film, and media studies—interrogate Roots, assessing the ways that the book and its dramatization recast representations of slavery, labor, and the black family; reflected on the promise of freedom and civil rights; and engaged discourses of race, gender, violence, and power in the United States and abroad. Taken together, the essays ask us to reconsider the limitations and possibilities of this work, which, although dogged by controversy, must be understood as one of the most extraordinary media events of the late twentieth century, a cultural touchstone of enduring significance.

Contributors: Norvella P. Carter, Warren Chalklen, Elise Chatelain, Robert K. Chester, Clare Corbould, C. Richard King, David J. Leonard, Delia Mellis, Francesca Morgan, Tyler D. Parry, Martin Stollery, Dominic Meng-Hsuan Yang, Bhekuyise Zungu

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction

234 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 15, 2017

Reviews

[Jeimy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a much needed collection that deconstructs and then rebuilds Alex Haley's epic. Its contributors are all historians who offer their perspective on historical times from slavery to the Civil Rights movement as well as social constructs such as race and gender. It is an enlightening read that will appeal to history buffs, people who believe in social equality, and fans of the TV series alike.

[gnarlyhiker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The collection of essays in “Reconsidering Roots” reconstructs and deconstructs Alex Haley’s “Roots”. Interesting to note that “Roots” has been proven to be more fictional than factual, yet remains categorized as non-fiction. Regardless, the impact of “Roots” especially as a mini-series has had a ripple effect worldwide. Solid read. Highly recommend.

good luck

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