On May 16, 1977, the groundbreaking television miniseries Roots, based on Alex Haley’s novel, won a prestigious Peabody Award for excellence in storytelling and impact. The series, which traced an African American family from enslavement to emancipation, aired internationally and sparked conversations about the legacy of slavery, identity, and race across the globe. Its success had ripple effects in countries with similar colonial histories, such as the UK, South Africa, and Brazil. The series influenced how Black history was taught and inspired a generation of genealogical and cultural exploration. The Peabody win cemented Roots as a milestone in Black global media representation.
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