American writer and author, Alex Haley was celebrated this past week when The Alex Haley Museum in Tennessee reopened after a complete remodel to honor the late author’s 100th birthday.
Haley is best known for his book Roots: The Saga of an American Family, which won him a Pulitzer Prize in 1977. The book follows Haley’s own family history and explores the ideas of the black American family while recognizing its roots in slavery. The novel was so profound that ABC adapted the novel as a television miniseries that honed in on the themes of lost history and genealogy, which resonated with many black Americans. However, Roots isn’t the only landmark piece written by Haley. His first novel is The Autobiography of Malcolm X, which is considered to be one of the most influential books of the 20th century.
The Alex Haley Museum is and Interpretive Center is actually the boyhood home of Haley and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. Haley’s stories of growing up in the home and spending summers there with his grandparents are what inspired him to write Roots. This new renovation has updated the home to look exactly as it did when Haley was born there in 1919. Visitors can explore the house, with its memorabilia and family relics, and even visit Haley’s grave which is onsite next door. If you ever find yourself in Tennesse, The Alex Haley Museum sounds like a fantastic place to visit.
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