Roots is a television miniseries based on Alex Haley’s novel Roots: The Sage of
an American Family. The series was broadcast on Sunday, January 23, 1977
and ended on January 30th. It received 36 Emmy Award nominations, winning
nine. It also won a Golden Globe and a Peabody Award. The Nielsen ratings
show Roots as the third-highest rated TV program ever. It introduced LeVar
Burton portraying Kunta Kinte, Haley’s maternal fourth great-grandfather

.