1976 – “Roots” Wins Pulitzer Prize

On May 24, 1976, Alex Haley’s groundbreaking novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction. The epic traced Haley’s lineage back to Kunta Kinte, an African man enslaved and brought to America, and chronicled the generational journey of his descendants. Roots became a cultural phenomenon, reshaping how African American history was understood and honored. Haley’s exhaustive research and narrative approach humanized the trauma of slavery and offered a triumphant portrayal of Black resilience. The book’s success inspired a historic television miniseries that reached over 130 million viewers, forever changing American perceptions of slavery and Black heritage. May 24 marks a literary milestone that amplified the African American experience worldwide. Haley’s Roots ignited a renaissance in genealogical research among Black families and underscored the enduring power of reclaiming and retelling one’s history.