123 Alex Haley Facts You Need To Know About The American Writer

A family is like a tree with branches that grow in different directions, but the roots remain the same.

In the modern world of global diversity, it is crucial to be in touch with our roots as the family tree can wither away if we don't tend to it. Love, communication, and compassion keep the family together and create a strong foundation for future generations.

Love keeps the family together irrespective of where you are located. Communication helps you understand each other and compassion nurtures your relationship and helps it grow and strengthen.

If you want your family to flourish, then hold on to your roots, nurture them with compassion, and work hard to build a strong future. The family is surely a link to our past, our ancestors, our origin.

Our past plays a major role in genetics and helps determine the characteristics of the future generation. The family is also the bridge to the future generation.

Alex Haley's books throw light on genealogy and African American heritage. Genealogical research is very much in vogue among African Americans trying to trace their roots. Slavery in the pre-civil war led to the loss of connection with family roots. Various authors have written books on slaves and captured and sold.

Does 123 Alex Haley facts you need to know about the American writer satiate your literary pursuits? Read on more about William Faulkner facts and William Penn facts.

Fun Facts About Alex Haley

Did you know that USCGC Alex Haley is a former United States Navy vessel and the United States Coast Guard Cutter that was recommissioned for Coast Guard duty on July 10, 1999?

Alex co-wrote the book with Malcolm X himself, and the book on the autobiography of Malcolm X sold over five million copies around the world. This famous book 'The Autobiography of Malcolm X' became very popular, and it also launched Haley's career as a writer.

Haley received the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for his book on Malcolm X. The book 'Autobiography of Malcolm X' is required for reading in various schools.

Alex Haley was an African American writer who had Irish roots and some Cherokee lineage. Many fans want to know if Alex Haley is still living.

The sad news is that he lived from August 11, 1921, to February 10, 1992. He was born in Ithaca, New York, and died in Seattle, Washington.

He is no more among us, but Alex Haley's famous literary works live forever. He is famous for his books, 'The Autobiography of Malcolm X' and 'Roots- The Saga of an American Family'. This book was based on his family history, and it was televised as a miniseries.

His father's name was Simon Alexander Haley, and his mother was Bertha George Palmer. Alexander Murray Palmer Haley was the oldest of three sons of Alex Haley and his wife, Bertha.

Haley lived at his small farm in Clinton, Tennessee, until his death. On February 10, 1992, Alex Haley died at the age of 70 in Seattle, Washington, US.

Facts About Alex Haley's Writings

Alex Haley taught himself the art of writing, and he often wrote love letters for the sailor's girlfriends while at the Pacific theater of operations. Let's see some interesting facts about him.

Alex Haley won the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for 'Roots: The Saga of an American Family' based on his family's history from the days of slavery. In this Pulitzer prize-winning masterpiece, Haley gave an insight into the lives of Africans.

However, his novel was surrounded by controversy as 'The Saga of an American Family' was found to have copyright issues with another novel named 'The African' by writer Harold Courlander.

In his novel, an African boy is captured by slave traders while crossing the Atlantic on a slave ship.

In the story, while in America, the African boy tries to withhold his African traditions on a plantation farm. However, the famous book on the African American family raised great interest in genealogy in America and focussed on the story of the long history of the African American people.

The story 'Roots: The Saga of an American Family' was published in 37 languages and was very popular worldwide. Later, that year 'Roots' was televised on ABC as popular television miniseries.

Most of Haley's books were based on historical fiction and racism and its impact on the lives of African American generations.

Alex Haley's writings include his books, articles and essays, forewords, and introductions. Alex Haley's Roots is the world's most famous book.

He also wrote 'A Different Kind of Christmas'.

Articles and Essays by Alex Haley include 'Writing Three Thank-You Letters,' 'Why Reading Matters', 'The Jumpingest Man on Earth', 'The Magic of America', 'The Roots of Haley's Philosophy', and many more.

He also wrote forewords and introductions for various books like 'Uncle Sam' must be losing the War (1981), 'Tom Bradley: The Impossible Dream' (1986), They that go down to 'The Sea' (1990), 'The Story of the Coat Guard' (Sep 1987), 'The Prevailing South' (Sep 1988), 'The Oratory of Negro Leaders: 1990-1968', and many more.

Facts About Alex Haley's Family

Alex Haley learned about his family history from his maternal grandmother in Henning, Tennessee, traveled three continents, and tracked his maternal family lineage to Mandingo Youth named Kunta Kinte, kidnapped and sold for slavery in Juffure, a small village in Gambia, West Africa.

He was born on August 11, 1921. His brothers' names were George and Julius, the oldest child.

Very soon after his birth, his parents returned to Henning, Tennessee, to his grandparents, Will Palmer and Cynthia Palmer. Soon, his father had to return to Cornell University to complete his graduation.

Still, after the death of his grandfather Will Palmer, in the year 1926, Haley's father returned to Henning and started working on Palmer's business. Alex Haley spent most of his childhood with his grandmother Cynthia Palmer, who discovered his family's ancestry.

As a child, Alex Haley learned about 'Kin-tay,' one of his grandfathers sold as a slave in 'Naples' or Annapolis in Maryland. When his father started teaching, the family moved, and ten years old Alex Haley lost his mother, Bertha Haley, in Normal, Alabama.

He pursued his education and later enrolled in the military at 18 years. For 20 years, he worked with the U.S. Coast Guard and got married after being promoted to the post of a steward.

He lived in Knoxville on the Tennessee River in Eastern Tennessee. He lived in Downtown, which has 19th-century shops, restaurants, and buildings in the Market Square.

Alex Haley had one son and three daughters from his marriages. He married Nannie Branch in 1941, but unfortunately, 23 years later, his marriage ended in a divorce.

He married twice after this, to Juliette Collins and then Myra Lewis. In Seattle, Alex Haley died of a heart attack on February 10, 1992. Alex Haley was 70 years old at the time of his death.

He was buried at his grandparent's home in Memphis. Even after his death, his evergreen words reverberate in our minds as he said, 'We all suffer, if a man's wise, he learns from it.'

Facts About Alex Haley's Education

Being born into an educated family, Alex was the oldest of three brothers and a sister. His mother, Bertha George, was a teacher, and his father, Simon Haley, graduated from Cornell University to become a World War One veteran and a professor. 

At the age of 15, Alex enrolled at Alcorn A&M, Mississippi. Haley's father lived from March 8, 1892, to August 19, 1973.

He was a professor of agriculture and married Bertha George Palmer. When Haley was 15, he graduated from high school in 1937.

One year later, he moved to Elizabeth City State College but later dropped out because he was not interested in academics.

However, he enrolled himself at Elizabeth City Teachers College for two years in North Carolina before returning home at 17, after withdrawing himself from the college. However, Alex's father talked him into joining the military at 18 years.

On May 24, 1939, Alex Haley filled in for the post open for African Americans as a third-class petty officer or mess attendant at the U.S. Coast Guard. Later he was promoted to the chief journalist at the U.S. Coast Guard, a position created solely based on Haley's excellent literary talent.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 123 Alex Haley facts you need to know about the American writer then why not take a look at facts about Eli Whitney, or facts about Helen Keller.