Roots: The Next Generations (1979)

EndedScripted showDrama, War, History

Continuing the story of Pulitzer-prize winning author Alex Haley's ancestors, this award-winning sequel to Roots picks up the story at the conclusion of the Civil War, and covers the significant historic events that impacted Haley and his family, from Reconstruction and Jim Crow, through World War I, the Great Depression, and World War II. The epic account concludes during the Civil Rights movement in the 1960s when the author himself tracks down and eventually meets his distant kin in Gambia, West Africa while preparing to write what would become his ground--breaking novel Roots: The Saga of an American Family.

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Season 1Episode 7120 min

Part 7

In the exciting conclusion, it is now 1960 in Henning, Tennessee, 10 years after Alex's wife Nan left him, and Alex attends the funeral for his great Aunt Elizabeth. He has finally succeeded in a writing career by publishing free-lance articles including interviews with Minister Malcolm X of the Nation of Islam and George Lincoln Rockwell, head of the American Nazi Party. Alex lands a contract to ghost-write the autobiography of Malcolm X, although Malcolm is assassinated before the book is published. Alex then realizes that he should write a book about his own family and he obsessively researches his origins, alienating his new girlfriend in the process. After identifying the language of the words passed down to him, he manages to get an advance that will allow him to travel to Gambia, West Africa. Once there, he is taken by boat to the Griot for the Kinte clan. After the Griot retells centuries of history, Alex finally hears the name of Kunta Kinte and the story of the drum that lead to his capture into slavery, marking the end of his search for his family's roots.

Feb. 25, 1979

Recent Episodes

Episode	Name	Airdate
S01E07	Part 7	Feb. 25, 1979
S01E06	Part 6	Feb. 23, 1979
S01E05	Part 5	Feb. 22, 1979
S01E04	Part 4	Feb. 21, 1979
S01E03	Part 3	Feb. 20, 1979

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Cast

Dorian Harewood

plays Simon Haley

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Simon Haley

played by Dorian Harewood

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Roots: The Next Generations (1979)