'Find the good, and praise it'

 

“In my writing, as much as I could, I tried to find the good, and praise it.” –  Alex Haley

 

Born in Ithaca, NY on Aug. 11, 1921 Haley authored 4 award-winning books, anchored by Roots: The Saga of an American Family, continuously in print since its appearance in 1976.  A television series based on the book also set a record-breaking audience of over 130 million viewers.

 

A Coast Guard veteran from both World War II and the Korean War, Haley was self-taught as a writer in order to “report” on things to folks back home, writing both for individuals and for his community newspapers.  After his Coast Guard career, he expanded his reportorial efforts, which eventually led him to his biographical writing.  Haley's first book, which catapulted him onto the national scene, was The Autobiography of Malcolm X.   

 

In addition to his books, he authored 3 story collections and several screenplays before his death from a heart attack in 1992.    Roots raised public awareness of African American history and also inspired a broad interest in genealogy and family history for all races.   Haley said that was one of his proudest accomplishments.  

”In every conceivable manner," he said, "the family is link to our past; bridge to our future.”