Roots: The Saga of an American Family
by Alex Haley
11 jurisdictions · Banned 1980-2025 · Published
Roots is Alex Haley's 1976 Pulitzer Prize-winning historical novel tracing his family from Kunta Kinte in eighteenth-century Gambia through American slavery to Reconstruction, banned or restricted in 11+ U.S. jurisdictions.
Why it was banned
The book has been challenged for its depictions of slavery's violence and for its frank language. The 1977 television miniseries adaptation was one of the most-watched programs in American history, which has kept the book in regular school use and thus a regular target.
Cited reasons
- violence
- racial content
- language
Primary states
Tennessee, Virginia, Texas
Why it matters
Roots reshaped how Americans understood their family histories. Haley's research model, tracing African American genealogy back to a specific African ancestor, inspired a generation of family history research. The book was awarded a special Pulitzer Prize in 1977. The 1977 miniseries was watched by an estimated 130 million Americans, making it one of the most-viewed broadcasts ever.
Themes
- slavery
- family history
- African heritage
- American classics
Awards
- Special Pulitzer Prize (1977)
Where to buy
The Ledger recommends Black-owned booksellers. Each stocks this title or can order it.
- MahoganyBooksNational Harbor, Maryland · Founded
Independent bookstore specializing in books written for, by, and about people of the African diaspora.
- Marcus BooksOakland, California · Founded
The oldest independent Black-owned bookstore in the United States, named for political activist Marcus Garvey.
- Hakim's BookstorePhiladelphia, Pennsylvania · Founded
Philadelphia's oldest Black-owned bookstore, specializing in African American history, philosophy, and religion.
- Loyalty BookstoreWashington, D.C. · Founded
Black, queer, and woman-owned bookstore with locations in Washington, D.C. and Silver Spring, Maryland.
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Related banned books
Books in the catalog that share themes with this one.
Documented by The Ledger. A record of what Black America built and what was taken.
Book cover via Open Library. Editorial use under fair use.