Roots was ‘that slave book’ of our grandparent’s generation and then ‘that slave movie’ of our parent’s generation. Alex Haley, the writer of the novel encaptured the essence of slavery. Every lost voice and spirit were written on those pages. Every feeling of hopelessness and despair were recognized and acknowledged in his words. The thing that distinguished Roots from the rest of the stereotypical slave movies was the way in which the story was told.
Haley engrossed readers, and later viewers, in the full story of the African and American slave trade. He took us to the villages where our brothers and sisters were betrayed by their own and sold to the Europeans with big guns. He took us on the search for manhood and the power of being an African warrior. He took us through young love, and old love, and hatred, and self-discovery.
It would be a lie to say that watching the first episode of the remade version of Roots was easy. But it was definitely an important moment, one that I suggest every young African American should experience. I say experience because that is exactly what the first episode was. It was an experience to see the essence of an African village, destroyed by neighboring factions and European interference. It was an experience to see young Kunta Kinte taken from his home and forced on the ship where his brothers awaited him. It was an experience to watch the hope drain from the eyes of every slave on this ship. And it was an experience to watch the various trials and tribulations that were slavery, the same trials, and tribulations that built this country, from the red-hot branding to the crack of the whip.
Although slavery is deemed as ‘old news’ to some, just a lesson in history class to others; to the black community, slavery is where we came from- it is our history. And although it does not define us, it definitely makes up a large part of who we are today. Roots does an excellent job of dredging up a topic that needs to be acknowledged. Too many people regard slavery as something to forget, as something for us to just move on from. But it’s extremely important for this generation to witness history in settings like Roots. especially in today’s world where the original version of the film isn’t as popular, and instead, we are presented with white-washed versions that Hollywood loves to play on repeat. It’s important for the black youth to see the pride and honor that our people had before it was stripped away, and the courage that our ancestors held on to.
We live in a world where some still see African Americans as inferior, and slavery is a direct result of these race rankings. So, to see the familiar story of chains and whips told in a light that showcases both the good and bad moments of our people is monumental. Roots has gained a lot of popularity from the press and hopefully it will still find it’s way to the top of TV viewings because this is a story that we need to pay attention to- again.
