That part when Alex Haley finally reunited with his long lost distant cousin is to me is one of the greatest moments in television history. At long last Kunta Kinte is finally home
This powerful scene makes me cry every time and that beautiful music made it worst! And when he meets his cousin by the river! That was it for me !!!!!
I am Irish and like many of us cannot go further than mid 1800's as the plague wiped out half of our population, and millions took coffin boats to USA. We lost our history and very few of us have good long family trees. Thats how emotional the ending of the story is... to know who you really are and from.
Not to mention the deliberate burning of those genealogical records at the Customs House fire by Dev to " level" and wipe out traces of ancestry and origin.
Same for us Jews. Lots of us were wiped out through genocides that sweeped across Europe and weren’t allowed to participate in non-Jewish society or be remembered. Most Jews can only go back until the end of the 20th century, with a few going back as far as 1850. To have such a detailed family history that could be traced back to the modern day would be a blessing and I can only imagine the joy it gives people who have it
The difference here my white brethen, you family history was damage by natural disaster. My family history was erased. The end results may be the same, but the how is not. Taking away a person's culture and family is deeper than just using them for free labor. There was something more diabolical about destroying a people's history. And the sad part is, many western nations are still not course correcting. America still preaches and honors Christpher Columbus for discovering the new world. Ignoring the Vikings came the America 300yrs earlier, the Chinese 200yrs early and the Moors 700yrs earlier. Chris C, didnt discover anything new, just new to them. The sad part America's antics is Spain today does not preach Chris C voyages, so why is the America? Because the notion of Spain bring over millions black slaves from Africa in 4 decades is too, great to give up, and to acknowledge that blacks were already in the new world and in North America along with Mexicans, and Native people.
MashaAllah that’s amazing!! I saw this on TV when I was 9 or 10 (rerun on the American Forces Network).. pretty sure I cried at this scene, and 35 years later I still can’t get through it without crying and full-body chills. That must have been an indescribable experience
I’m African and unfortunately, the vast majority of us just don’t understand or know what happened to our brothers, sisters, cousins, parents when they got on those ships towards the new world. It’s movie like this that’s important to teach a valuable lesson that our African chiefs were wrong, slavemasters were wrong, the institution of slavery was wrong, and the Europeans powers that allow slavery to exist were wrong! Let’s be clear on these facts that 99% of Africans today had nothing to do with the slave trade and let’s be clear that the vast majority of white people had nothing to do with slavery. The problem that exist as of 2021 is the fact that ethnocentrism, racism, tribalism, prejudices, discrimination , hate are all part of human nature AND must be minimized by one towards other people, for there are people out there who have fallen victims to these human ills...making it difficult for them to put ENOUGH bread and butter on the table for them and their family members. The great news here is that we all have the power as individuals to change the world around us, to treat the next person with empathy --to treat others the way you will want to be treated, regardless of your social-economic status . Let all of us continue to be kind and treat others with decency, while giving other people an opportunity to climb the economic ladder of life, in today’s society. On the same token, let all of us continue to UNDERSTAND that forms of inequalities continue to exist, almost everywhere....centuries and decades later! With self love, self preservation, safe communities and UNITY, our survival will continue to be ENSURED!!!Thank you. Please don’t forget to hit the Subscribe button to follow my channel here on TH-cam at Wes Smith LT. Be safe out there! The subscribe button: m.th-cam.com/video/fDjT6-8QHbc/w-d-xo.html
@@warldorwessarnoelt3936 You are absolutely right and what an intelligent well thought out comment I couldn't agree more with everything you have said excellent and well said and put across
All Africans throught the diaspora, whether u be African born, of African parentage but UK/US/European raised, African American/Caribbean/ Latino. be proud of your roots!
@@mqbitsko25 oh now you want to include black among the human family when they are reconnecting with their people. Why are you people so afraid of Africans throughout the world reconnecting and uniting? Your ancestors dehumanized us.
I was born in Canada but my mom is Haitian and my father is Trinidadian and Grenadian but I've always been very proud of my African Roots so I hope to trace back my roots someday hopefully :)
I cried when his Kinte cousin ran up to him to introduce himself. In a documentary, I saw a photograph of the real Alex Haley being hugged by the Kinte family and other villagers. That same documentary, Ben Vereen (who played Chicken George), narrated how he went to Henning to visit the real George's grave and how a butterfly landed on the grave stone.
I’m African and unfortunately, the vast majority of us just don’t understand or know what happened to our brothers, sisters, cousins, parents when they got on those ships towards the new world. It’s movie like this that’s important to teach a valuable lesson that our African chiefs were wrong, slavemasters were wrong, the institution of slavery was wrong, and the Europeans powers that allow slavery to exist were wrong! Let’s be clear on these facts that 99% of Africans today had nothing to do with the slave trade and let’s be clear that the vast majority of white people had nothing to do with slavery. The problem that exist as of 2021 is the fact that ethnocentrism, racism, tribalism, prejudices, discrimination and hate that’s part of human nature, must be minimized by one towards other people, for there are people out there who have fallen victims to these human ills...making it difficult for them to put ENOUGH bread and butter on the table for them and their family members. The great news here is that we all have the power as individuals to change the world around us, to treat the next person with empathy --to treat others the way you will want to be treated, regardless of your social-economic status . In a nutshell, be kind and treat others with decency, while giving other people an opportunity to climb the economic ladder of life, in today’s society. In a nutshell, forms of inequalities continue to exist, almost everywhere....centuries and decades later! With self love, self preservation, safe communities and UNITY, our survival will continue to be ENSURED!!!Thank you. Please don’t forget to hit the Subscribe button to follow my channel here on TH-cam at Wes Smith LT. Be safe out there! The subscribe button: m.th-cam.com/video/fDjT6-8QHbc/w-d-xo.html
@@warldorwessarnoelt3936if you want us to come together, it can start by not demanding huge sums of tax money that me and my family pay for,, who only came to America in the 20th century, and go to pay for reparations to people many generations removed from slavery.
This is so powerful , when they show kunta and chicken George , and that flute came on in . I also cried wow touches my soul..African Americans this is the story of all of us..✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾
@@fotendongludmila9341 you know what I meant , if my ancestors were slaves . Then that makes our story similar. Except we didn’t go back to Africa to find our ancestors.
It's reaaaally strange, I belong to a clan on my father's side and whenever I meet them and look at all those people it's kind of unbelievable that every single one of those people are basically your family times a thousand
@@kevindouglas5333 I found out after the fact. In fact in her Book Stranger In Two Worlds Jean Harris who spent 12 Years in Prison said that they had many copies of Roots.
I doubt if they were all related to each other. From the days of Kunta and onward I am sure there were villagers there who had no blood relation to the Kintes.
I am a descendant of free African American who live in Hamilton, Canada during the slave trade, and my family help slave enter into Canada through the under ground railroad. I am truly proud of this story. All African American were not slaves, my family have been in this country since 1620, and they were a free people. I am Blackfoot Sioux, and African
"I've found you, Kunta Kente!" To this day this part still give me chills. I'm Jewish and my wife is Black and one of our daughters have set out on the same journey for both sides of her lineage. She loves this film and draws inspiration from Alex Haley.
I watched this a few days ago. It's one of my favourite film scenes and has been since I first watched Roots 12 years back. Coming back to this upon hearing James Earl Jones has passed. James was captivating in this, playing journalist Alex Haley. It inspired me to do what I do today as both a journalist and a Mandinkan.
The only way this ending could have been any more powerful, or poignant, would be if LeVar Burton had played Abdul Kinte (Alex Haley's newly revealed cousin)
I'm white and my dad's side of the family came from Kentucky in the early 20th century up North. My last name is Danish for cabinet maker I've been told. I just finished watching the 2016 roots and it makes me think about all the work and lives of the people who made the world what it is today. It made me think about my own place in the world, if I'm going to lead a legacy for generations to come. It tought me weather you're black or white or whatever, we need to depend on each other. Not only for those around you but for those who are yet to come.
The ending gets me every single time, so heart rendering and if there's anything I have learnt from Roots, it is to appreciate those who have lived long on this Earth before me and who continue to breathe their knowledge and wisdom today.
One of the most electric scenes ever on television. Jones pulls off the full range of emotions, from weariness to joy at finding the connection at last: "Yes, that's who I am - Kinte."
Today was my first time seeing this scene.When Kunta introduced himself to Kinte and said for I am you and you are me I couldn’t help it. A tear rolled down my cheek. I feel like we all as African Americans have this thing in us that desires to know who we are and where we came from.
I always cry like a baby as I did when I first saw it back in the 70's ! There are so many of us that are dislocated in exile from Mother Africa! We all have a Kunta foreparent who violently was torn away! This scene gives hope of a reunion to tribe, village!
That laugh by The great James Earl Jones, so pure and so contagious. You will be missed sir, what a juggernaut of an artist. Thank you for the legacy you have left behind in your body of work.
@guarddog22 Would you abandon your family for your ancestors family? No...we move forward and we pave new generations and new bonds. Just as you wouldnt move back to where your ancestors came from...which by my guess would be a cave or mountains.
@guarddog22 Your ancestors didnt come from Europe none of our ancestors actually did. They didn't come from Africa either. We all use to be apart of a supercontinent before the plates divided (Depending on your beliefs) We all came from giant rocks and caves not fancy houses. We spent our early years being food or making food out of things that at the time were the top of the food chain.
hannah king omg do you realize all types of people been enslaved in one point of time, you cry for them but you sure don’t for the whites that been enslaved
He found his roots, which is what the movie was about. Kunta kinte made sure it stayed in the family. And it went so far to make a made for tv series that has the highest tv rating of all time.
To those who keep talking trash. 1.Nobody is saying Haley didn't plagarize SOME of what was in his book-the fact is ALL writers plagarize to one degree or another-But that doesn't mean he did it CONSCIOUSLY; Have you any idea what goes through an artist's head at any one given time? He probably read "The African", put it away, and forgot about it, then went back to work on his research and got his wires crossed. Case in point, I'm working on a Western. When I started Buck Cross from Young Riders was at the back of my head, but it had been so many years since I'd seen the series that I wasn't conscious of it. Had the series not come out on DVD I would have sent the story in and been accused of plagarism. Realizing my goof I rewrote my manuscript. Note; Sometimes settling out of court is just easier than going through the legal headaches of not; Eitherway, it doesn't prove anything. 2. Haley is describing HIS family's experiences, not the overall shifts and trends of the African American experience. ie. Seen from the perspective of the big picture of course the book is inaccurate, but seen from the perspective of HIS family's personal history it isn't. 3.The only thing in question as far as accuracy is did he find the right Toby this side of the Atlantic and did he find the right member of the Kinte Clan that side of the Atlantic. The safest bet is he probably came as close as he could given the chaos and record gaps resulting from the American Revolution, The Articles of Confederation Period, the War of 1812, and the Civil War; Not to mention the chaos of African history and lack of a written record for most of that continent's history. 4.Let's just agree he had an ancestor named "Toby" from the Kinte Clan, and that what happened to him and his descendants was THEIR family's PERSONAL experience. Whether Kunta was our guy or not or whether the book and series represent every little detail of White/Black relations is irrelavent.
Well actually he Mis read the date certain slaves. Mama Izzy father wasn’t named Toby but hoping George because of his foot injury. Toby died 8 years before Izzy was born according to slave record. The likely scenario is kunta kinte slave name wasn’t Toby but George. Aunt Liz never told Alex Haley that kinte slave name was Toby, she told him that her grandpa told her his ( chicken George’s) grandfather was a man Mandinka warrior with the name kinte and he live near Gambia river.
This mini series truly impacted my life in 1977!I knew about my Father side of the family,but didnt know much about my Mother side until 2 years ago and did the research and found the members of my Mother's Mother surname/maiden name Powell.This year we finally had our first family reunion and it was amazing!I owe all the respect and honor of Alex Haley and the mini series Roots!💯💯💯💯
Best series ever made! So sad 💔 how I wish Kizzy & the rest (& especially Kunte) could have gone back to meet their true 'Roots' and family. I hope Kunte's spirit was there! Alex Haley should have had photos taken of him with his family in Gambia xx I love all those characters and wish they didn't have to go through ANY of their struggles! God bless every one of them! 💖💙💚💛
I remember watching this as teenager and was glued to the TV for night after night. Still today I never get tired of this emotional movie that has been part of this country for years and years to come. I
Wouldn't it be something, they exhumed his body, fly it back to his village to be buried? That would just make me cry the rest of my life. That an ancestor who was kidnapped from his country and after 200 years flown back to be buried in his homeland, chained free.
I watched Roots when it premiered in '77. Now, 55, soon be 56, I've never gotten over the mini series. For the month of July, 2022 it aired all month on The Grio. Marathon was the 4th of July, l stayed home, no visitors, no cooking just to watch it from noon to midnight. I watched every episode it aired. I once dreamt about Kunta, my husband said, "well, that's the closest you'll get to him!" That was 10 years ago. Didn't want to wake up all l wanted to do is hold him.
I have my own "roots" story. I am of Polish heritage and because of wars and distance, ties with my family were broken. But we found each other after over 100 years. What great day that was to meet each other after so many years. I cried like a baby!
I’m African and unfortunately, the vast majority of us just don’t understand or know what happened to our brothers, sisters, cousins, parents when they got on those ships towards the new world. It’s movie like this that’s important to teach a valuable lesson that our African chiefs were wrong, slavemasters were wrong, the institution of slavery was wrong, and the Europeans powers that allow slavery to exist were wrong! Let’s be clear on these facts that 99% of Africans today had nothing to do with the slave trade and let’s be clear that the vast majority of white people had nothing to do with slavery. The problem that exist as of 2021 is the fact that ethnocentrism, racism, tribalism, prejudices, discrimination and hate that’s part of human nature, must be minimized by one towards other people, for there are people out there who have fallen victims to these human ills...making it difficult for them to put ENOUGH bread and butter on the table for them and their family members. The great news here is that we all have the power as individuals to change the world around us, to treat the next person with empathy --to treat others the way you will want to be treated, regardless of your social-economic status . In a nutshell, be kind and treat others with decency, while giving other people an opportunity to climb the economic ladder of life, in today’s society. In a nutshell, forms of inequalities continue to exist, almost everywhere....centuries and decades later! With self love, self preservation, safe communities and UNITY, our survival will continue to be ENSURED!!!Thank you. Please don’t forget to hit the Subscribe button to follow my channel here on TH-cam at Wes Smith LT. Be safe out there! The subscribe button: m.th-cam.com/video/fDjT6-8QHbc/w-d-xo.html
as an african it kills me to watch this show "ROOTS".....especially with how the white man maltreated us .....when i first read fredrick douglass i wanted to cry ....its soo pathetic ....its difficult to trace our ancestors in todays generation ......cos there were alot of africans taken from different countries .... alex haley did a good job
@@AmandaFromWisconsin "past tense: maltreated; past participle: maltreated treat (a person or animal) cruelly or with violence. "children die from neglect or are maltreated by their caregivers"" - It's a valid word. No correction required for Fergy's comment. Merriam Webster agrees.
@@hassanabdur-rahman1559 I partly agree with you but there were some who helped capture slaves to be forced onto ships to be taken away from their homes to the USA, UK the Caribbean parts of South America etc
This series should've been played through the ages to teach the up coming generations the true history of the world, especially it's first occupants.. Africans.
Damn it. I knew I shouldn't watch this at work. Had to get up and go back into the warehouse. There were actual tears. I think I was sobbing a few times.
There were too Emmy snubs for the actors and actresses in Roots the next generations. Actors-Stan Shaw, Dorian Harewood, James Earl Jones, and Richard Thomas should have been nominated for their roles. Actresses-Debi Morgan, Irene Cara, Lynne Moody, and Bever-Leigh Banfield should have been nominated for their roles.
Because of this movie, I want to trace my Italian Roots. I am supposed to be a DECENDANT of Caesar Augustus. So far I have gotten to my Great Grandfather and I am stuck.
Great Film. Its a very emotional joyous occasion for anyone to trace their family. Caribbean Latino born in USA, I wish I could trace my ancestors and find out if I have any Taino , African, European or Spaniard background.
Sidenote; For a good many years I've been doing reearch into my family. I am of Native American, White, and Black heritage. I'm trying to pinpoint a Judy Walker married to a John Dalton from East Tennessee/Western North Carolina just before and after the Civil War. Do you know how many Judy Walkers and John Daltons there were in East Tennessee/Western North Carolina just before and after the Civil War. I totally get why Haley would hedge his bets and make an educated guess.
A few years back, I stumbled upon a website that traced families that lived in towns along the MX/TX border, mainly in the Big Bend area. Most of these places are ghost towns. I found my grandmother's name on the site and kept clicking the links related to her relatives. It went back to 1695, to my great-grandparents x7. All I could think about was this scene from Roots when Alex Haley yelled out, "I found you, you old African." I thought, "I found you, you old Mexican". I just wished they would air this miniseries again.
How touching is that. It took 208 Years, and Seven Generations but Alex Haley made it back and to think that the young man he was embracing was his very own cousin with whom he couldn't communicate with.
The brilliance of this scene shows a few things. I am glad James Earl Jones' character found his tribe. It also makes the audience very happy that the man found what he wanted so deeply. Deeper, I wonder if we should look at it as "humanity needs to come together," or "man is a political (tribal) animal."
When i turned 13 years , my mother gave to me as a present the book "Roots" , "Raíces" in Spanish.The miniserie had been broadcasted in Argentina in 1978.In Argentina there were slaves also.
*_YOU OLD AFRICAN...!_* *I FOUND YOU, KUNTE KINTE!* *I FOUND YOU! I FOUND YOU! I FOUND YOU!* _Praise to God! For one long lost to us, for whom God has returned. Welcome... Son of Kinte... Welcome to your village._
As an amateur genealogist who has been working on her family tree for more than 50 years, this scene so resonates with me. I have a few “brick walls” in my family history. I’ve solved some of them but I still have a few more to solve. Many of my ancestors were born in Ireland and as most genealogists know, tracking down Irish family histories is not easy!! I’ve often envisioned going back to some of the areas in Ireland my family was from and having an “I’ve found you, Kunta Kinte” moment for myself. Wonderful scene. Always makes me cry when I watch it.
I have read the book Roots and watched the tv series so many time since the first time in 1982. I love this book and the way Alex Haley wrote about this family through the years. It's important not forget about family roots and we need to tell about them to the next generations.
Although Alex Hailey's account turned out to be plagerized...the most important thing for me is what this saga symbolizes.from the taking of Kunta Kinte from his Afrcan home, the story of his capture being passed onto the generations and the rediscovery of the original African roots.The realization that u descend from a rich heritage..no matter the distance or the time passed ..u will forever be a son or daughter of the African soil. ...to be cont'd
This scene always made me cry,back then,and it still does today.Alex Haley.Wherever you are.Whether you know it or not.You did good.Rest In Peace Chief Petty Officer.Thank you for your service.And your gift to the world.
I love Alex Haley for his great great work in Roots - my favourite book I read after high school just before University after I watched the wonderful TV series it affected me alot I was so interested to assemble my family tree
@@kevindouglas5333 the book represents the reality of what happened to African Americans. I understand that you dismiss the book to try ease your conscious of what your ancestors did and how you are still benefiting from it.
@@akosuaayim888 The book represents all African Americans. It's a shame that you as a Ghanaian can't see that. African Americans are your people and you are their people.
I thank God who put it into my heart to become interested in the history of slavery. I see how this deeply impacted on the lives of so many human beings and I understand how important it is to find our roots and stay anchored there. I am an Italian white from a town close to the African coast. I have seen many African people come there and I have always seen them with respect. Please God forgive us for what we've done. Please help us to see ourselves as brothers and not as races. God bless.
RIP James Earl Jones 😢. You’ve left a powerful legacy in all of your work
Will never forget…even if you say Im gonna beat you with this crowbar.
Field of Dreams joke.
Best voice eveh
That part when Alex Haley finally reunited with his long lost distant cousin is to me is one of the greatest moments in television history. At long last Kunta Kinte is finally home
True. But this man's a black fraud
Except for the fact that the residents of juffure villiage claim that Haley’s account of a reunion is inaccurate
The whole story was a fraud and he plagiarized it all.
This ending is every African Americans dream.To know which African country and tribe we come from.
❤❤❤❤
This powerful scene makes me cry every time and that beautiful music made it worst! And when he meets his cousin by the river! That was it for me !!!!!
Me too
Yeah must be Knute kinta little brothers ancestor. The one who he tried making the drum 🥁
It is a beautiful scene! In a way Kunta did come home through his ancestor.
Me too!!
it was a hoax and all made up
RIP Mr JE Jones. A legendry actor and utter gentleman. This scene is truly one of the greats.
I am Irish and like many of us cannot go further than mid 1800's as the plague wiped out half of our population, and millions took coffin boats to USA. We lost our history and very few of us have good long family trees. Thats how emotional the ending of the story is... to know who you really are and from.
Not to mention the deliberate burning of those genealogical records at the Customs House fire by Dev to " level" and wipe out traces of ancestry and origin.
@@aileencaffrey5566 My grand mother told me that story. Thats something I would like to research more about, thanks.
Never knew that thanks for the Info it makes sense now why Irish people weren't considered "white" until historically recently
Same for us Jews. Lots of us were wiped out through genocides that sweeped across Europe and weren’t allowed to participate in non-Jewish society or be remembered. Most Jews can only go back until the end of the 20th century, with a few going back as far as 1850. To have such a detailed family history that could be traced back to the modern day would be a blessing and I can only imagine the joy it gives people who have it
The difference here my white brethen, you family history was damage by natural disaster.
My family history was erased. The end results may be the same, but the how is not. Taking away a person's culture and family is deeper than just using them for free labor. There was something more diabolical about destroying a people's history. And the sad part is, many western nations are still not course correcting.
America still preaches and honors Christpher Columbus for discovering the new world. Ignoring the Vikings came the America 300yrs earlier, the Chinese 200yrs early and the Moors 700yrs earlier.
Chris C, didnt discover anything new, just new to them. The sad part America's antics is Spain today does not preach Chris C voyages, so why is the America? Because the notion of Spain bring over millions black slaves from Africa in 4 decades is too, great to give up, and to acknowledge that blacks were already in the new world and in North America along with Mexicans, and Native people.
I went to Juffereh Village myself in 2022 and met some of the real Kinte descendants where this took place. So this is special to me.
I bet is overwhelming just by watching this clip I couldn’t help myself but crying 😢
❤❤❤
How Awesome!
MashaAllah that’s amazing!! I saw this on TV when I was 9 or 10 (rerun on the American Forces Network).. pretty sure I cried at this scene, and 35 years later I still can’t get through it without crying and full-body chills.
That must have been an indescribable experience
But the location is not that remote place I think.
The most beautiful ending to any story I have ever seen. I could watch it a thousand times and cry every time.
Me too
it was made up and faked
James Corbett sometimes that just does not matter. It’s the story and it’s telling that matters.
Yes I agree and I Cry everytime I watch this ...
me as well
I CRIED LIKE A BABY.......''Kunta you old African I found you".
I’m African and unfortunately, the vast majority of us just don’t understand or know what happened to our brothers, sisters, cousins, parents when they got on those ships towards the new world. It’s movie like this that’s important to teach a valuable lesson that our African chiefs were wrong, slavemasters were wrong, the institution of slavery was wrong, and the Europeans powers that allow slavery to exist were wrong! Let’s be clear on these facts that 99% of Africans today had nothing to do with the slave trade and let’s be clear that the vast majority of white people had nothing to do with slavery. The problem that exist as of 2021 is the fact that ethnocentrism, racism, tribalism, prejudices, discrimination , hate are all part of human nature AND must be minimized by one towards other people, for there are people out there who have fallen victims to these human ills...making it difficult for them to put ENOUGH bread and butter on the table for them and their family members. The great news here is that we all have the power as individuals to change the world around us, to treat the next person with empathy --to treat others the way you will want to be treated, regardless of your social-economic status . Let all of us continue to be kind and treat others with decency, while giving other people an opportunity to climb the economic ladder of life, in today’s society. On the same token, let all of us continue to UNDERSTAND that forms of inequalities continue to exist, almost everywhere....centuries and decades later! With self love, self preservation, safe communities and UNITY, our survival will continue to be ENSURED!!!Thank you. Please don’t forget to hit the Subscribe button to follow my channel here on TH-cam at Wes Smith LT. Be safe out there! The subscribe button: m.th-cam.com/video/fDjT6-8QHbc/w-d-xo.html
In the book Alex said "Let's be clear...I am a man.But I cried like a baby"❤️
@@warldorwessarnoelt3936 well said!
@@warldorwessarnoelt3936 You are absolutely right and what an intelligent well thought out comment I couldn't agree more with everything you have said excellent and well said and put across
@Martin Pugh thank u
Probably the most influential film that inspired my life’s passion. Thank you Alex Haley
All Africans throught the diaspora, whether u be African born, of African parentage but UK/US/European raised, African American/Caribbean/ Latino. be proud of your roots!
Amen
You do realize that's the entire human species.
I sure am!❤
@@mqbitsko25 oh now you want to include black among the human family when they are reconnecting with their people. Why are you people so afraid of Africans throughout the world reconnecting and uniting? Your ancestors dehumanized us.
I was born in Canada but my mom is Haitian and my father is Trinidadian and Grenadian but I've always been very proud of my African Roots so I hope to trace back my roots someday hopefully :)
In a way it was like Kunta did come back to his village through Alex Haley.
Yes
I cried when his Kinte cousin ran up to him to introduce himself. In a documentary, I saw a photograph of the real Alex Haley being hugged by the Kinte family and other villagers. That same documentary, Ben Vereen (who played Chicken George), narrated how he went to Henning to visit the real George's grave and how a butterfly landed on the grave stone.
I saw that, too.
How is it called?
( U all african I found u . I found u I found u kunta kentie) amazing
so proud to be black . proud to be african
GOD bless u kunta
U 'ol' African*
what if i told you....your really from ISRAEL.....EVEN BEFORE AFRICA
I’m African and unfortunately, the vast majority of us just don’t understand or know what happened to our brothers, sisters, cousins, parents when they got on those ships towards the new world. It’s movie like this that’s important to teach a valuable lesson that our African chiefs were wrong, slavemasters were wrong, the institution of slavery was wrong, and the Europeans powers that allow slavery to exist were wrong! Let’s be clear on these facts that 99% of Africans today had nothing to do with the slave trade and let’s be clear that the vast majority of white people had nothing to do with slavery. The problem that exist as of 2021 is the fact that ethnocentrism, racism, tribalism, prejudices, discrimination and hate that’s part of human nature, must be minimized by one towards other people, for there are people out there who have fallen victims to these human ills...making it difficult for them to put ENOUGH bread and butter on the table for them and their family members. The great news here is that we all have the power as individuals to change the world around us, to treat the next person with empathy --to treat others the way you will want to be treated, regardless of your social-economic status . In a nutshell, be kind and treat others with decency, while giving other people an opportunity to climb the economic ladder of life, in today’s society. In a nutshell, forms of inequalities continue to exist, almost everywhere....centuries and decades later! With self love, self preservation, safe communities and UNITY, our survival will continue to be ENSURED!!!Thank you. Please don’t forget to hit the Subscribe button to follow my channel here on TH-cam at Wes Smith LT. Be safe out there! The subscribe button: m.th-cam.com/video/fDjT6-8QHbc/w-d-xo.html
@@rogertwitty8221 you are a fool of delusion.
@@warldorwessarnoelt3936if you want us to come together, it can start by not demanding huge sums of tax money that me and my family pay for,, who only came to America in the 20th century, and go to pay for reparations to people many generations removed from slavery.
Everyone should find their Roots. This is absolutely Amazing
I have family in Texas that did that with a side of my family that's German
:) thanks for your words... I'm latino... Chilean... And I'm working on that.
Wish I could, strange when you do the dna thing you never see any Africans relatives
@@erickanew in fact my brazilian cousins would not say that...
Everyone should find the Kings Men and KICK THEIR ASS! LOL!
Rest in peace, James Earl Jones. Like with Darth Vader and Mustafa, you nailed this role!
This is so powerful , when they show kunta and chicken George , and that flute came on in . I also cried wow touches my soul..African Americans this is the story of all of us..✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾✊🏾
That ur story’s
@@fotendongludmila9341 you know what I meant , if my ancestors were slaves . Then that makes our story similar. Except we didn’t go back to Africa to find our ancestors.
@@worldwiderecordsllc.9429 right
Am from the UK my family decended from slaves my second name is a slave name and I don't know ny African name so will never meet my African family
Stupid 70s cinematography, never watched this film, just saw a few scenes on TH-cam, and now I am here watching this and crying 😂
One of his most powerful scenes in his illustrious career. May he rest in peace. James Earl Jones (January 17th, 1931- September 9th, 2024).
Can you imagine how overwhelming it must have been to see all of those people and know in some way or another they are all of his "Relatives".
Thanks for the invite to the conversation 🇯🇲
It's reaaaally strange, I belong to a clan on my father's side and whenever I meet them and look at all those people it's kind of unbelievable that every single one of those people are basically your family times a thousand
The book was fiction. You know that
@@kevindouglas5333 I found out after the fact. In fact in her Book Stranger In Two Worlds Jean Harris who spent 12 Years in Prison said that they had many copies of Roots.
I doubt if they were all related to each other. From the days of Kunta and onward I am sure there were villagers there who had no blood relation to the Kintes.
I love how they showed kunta and the rest of the family members that past on
I am a descendant of free African American who live in Hamilton, Canada during the slave trade, and my family help slave enter into Canada through the under ground railroad. I am truly proud of this story. All African American were not slaves, my family have been in this country since 1620, and they were a free people. I am Blackfoot Sioux, and African
That is interesting and very informative information. Thank you so much.
❤❤❤
So if they entered through the underground railroad wouldn't that make them slaves in the USA that escape to Canada?
@ashoikieramsay8282 Yes! I am a descendant of africville, nova scotia. I represent the 5th Generation.
"I've found you, Kunta Kente!" To this day this part still give me chills. I'm Jewish and my wife is Black and one of our daughters have set out on the same journey for both sides of her lineage. She loves this film and draws inspiration from Alex Haley.
I watched this a few days ago. It's one of my favourite film scenes and has been since I first watched Roots 12 years back. Coming back to this upon hearing James Earl Jones has passed. James was captivating in this, playing journalist Alex Haley. It inspired me to do what I do today as both a journalist and a Mandinkan.
Beaucoup to the Great James Earl Jones. This portrayal of Alex Haley was the best for me. Making a full circle for the African Ancestors.
The only way this ending could have been any more powerful, or poignant, would be if LeVar Burton had played Abdul Kinte (Alex Haley's newly revealed cousin)
That would have been cool...I wonder why they didnt think of that? 😶
+Melanie Haendel Maybe LeVar Burton was too busy
Melanie Haendel That would have been *way too obvious* . Also, reducing the actor to such a tiny role?
+Paul Allen and it just wouldn't have made since it would have been cheesy and cliche
LeVar was doing all kinds of TV Movies around this time. He was doing 'Ron LeFlore Story', 'Battered', and 'Dummy'. He was too busy for a little part!
R.I.P. James Earl Jones,you'll always be remembered!
Mr Jones out there ugly-crying. 4:43 😂. Sir you will always be an All Star
R.I.P JOHN AMOS... JAMES EARL JONES... OJ SIMPSON... LOUIS GOSSETT JR...all 4 were in the movie.😞😞😞
Absolutely powerful, beautiful scene. I cried at the revelation part.
+Superswag fanboy69 I DID TOO JAMES EARL JONES AS; ALEX HALEY
+charlton myers Its my favourite bit of all.
Everyone cries.
I started to cry when Alex Haley cried. Kinte was finally home.
Me too, I'm crying.
To bad it was another AH lie.
it was faked the entire book and film is a hoax
That's not Alex Haley.
@@jamescorbett3611 you are a fucking idiot
The lesson is to appreciate your family history, learn from it to better yourself and benefit the further generations.
I'm white and my dad's side of the family came from Kentucky in the early 20th century up North. My last name is Danish for cabinet maker I've been told. I just finished watching the 2016 roots and it makes me think about all the work and lives of the people who made the world what it is today. It made me think about my own place in the world, if I'm going to lead a legacy for generations to come. It tought me weather you're black or white or whatever, we need to depend on each other. Not only for those around you but for those who are yet to come.
This has the same bring tears to your eyes vibes as the end of The Color Purple reunion. 🥰🥰🥰🥰
When he goes down that river, and all the descendants of Kunta Kinte come flashing by, it gives me chills.
I absolutely love that part.
The ending gets me every single time, so heart rendering and if there's anything I have learnt from Roots, it is to appreciate those who have lived long on this Earth before me and who continue to breathe their knowledge and wisdom today.
One of the most electric scenes ever on television. Jones pulls off the full range of emotions, from weariness to joy at finding the connection at last: "Yes, that's who I am - Kinte."
Today was my first time seeing this scene.When Kunta introduced himself to Kinte and said for I am you and you are me I couldn’t help it. A tear rolled down my cheek. I feel like we all as African Americans have this thing in us that desires to know who we are and where we came from.
This is a blessing to find your people your ancestors an the living one's to tears of joy
I always cry like a baby as I did when I first saw it back in the 70's !
There are so many of us that are dislocated in exile from Mother Africa! We all have a Kunta foreparent who violently was torn away! This scene gives hope of a reunion to tribe, village!
Thru Ancestry DNA testing it’s happening. I found two African cousins so far.
That laugh by The great James Earl Jones, so pure and so contagious.
You will be missed sir, what a juggernaut of an artist.
Thank you for the legacy you have left behind in your body of work.
AS A BLACK AFRICXAN AMERICAN.. I CRY BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE GENOCIDE OF SLAVERY IS PART OF OUR HISTORY
go deeper than AFRICA......before AFRICA we came from ISRAEL
@@rogertwitty8221 yes speak
@@rogertwitty8221 gtfuh with that so-called Hebrew Israelite madness. You ain't no Jew. You are an African. Take a DNA test.
Yes you have your own people to thank for your slavery and genocide !
Both Roots and Star Wars released in 1977. James Earl Jones did the Darth Vader voice over right around the same time he did Roots.
Powerful moment in television history!😂
Only James Earl Jones could bring this to life RIP you were the greatest missing you already 😢❤
I'm white but I cry when I watch this I'll never understand the pain but I feel the power sadness and joy of peopl
hannah king I agree with you 100 %. I am Hispanic and it touches me too
@guarddog22 Would you abandon your family for your ancestors family? No...we move forward and we pave new generations and new bonds. Just as you wouldnt move back to where your ancestors came from...which by my guess would be a cave or mountains.
@guarddog22 Your ancestors didnt come from Europe none of our ancestors actually did. They didn't come from Africa either. We all use to be apart of a supercontinent before the plates divided (Depending on your beliefs) We all came from giant rocks and caves not fancy houses. We spent our early years being food or making food out of things that at the time were the top of the food chain.
hannah king omg do you realize all types of people been enslaved in one point of time, you cry for them but you sure don’t for the whites that been enslaved
He found his roots, which is what the movie was about. Kunta kinte made sure it stayed in the family. And it went so far to make a made for tv series that has the highest tv rating of all time.
Sept 2024
R.I.P. JAMES EARL JONES🕯️🥹🥹🥹🥹
RIP James Earl Jones - this is my favorite part from his long career.
To those who keep talking trash. 1.Nobody is saying Haley didn't plagarize SOME of what was in his book-the fact is ALL writers plagarize to one degree or another-But that doesn't mean he did it CONSCIOUSLY; Have you any idea what goes through an artist's head at any one given time? He probably read "The African", put it away, and forgot about it, then went back to work on his research and got his wires crossed. Case in point, I'm working on a Western. When I started Buck Cross from Young Riders was at the back of my head, but it had been so many years since I'd seen the series that I wasn't conscious of it. Had the series not come out on DVD I would have sent the story in and been accused of plagarism. Realizing my goof I rewrote my manuscript. Note; Sometimes settling out of court is just easier than going through the legal headaches of not; Eitherway, it doesn't prove anything. 2. Haley is describing HIS family's experiences, not the overall shifts and trends of the African American experience. ie. Seen from the perspective of the big picture of course the book is inaccurate, but seen from the perspective of HIS family's personal history it isn't. 3.The only thing in question as far as accuracy is did he find the right Toby this side of the Atlantic and did he find the right member of the Kinte Clan that side of the Atlantic. The safest bet is he probably came as close as he could given the chaos and record gaps resulting from the American Revolution, The Articles of Confederation Period, the War of 1812, and the Civil War; Not to mention the chaos of African history and lack of a written record for most of that continent's history. 4.Let's just agree he had an ancestor named "Toby" from the Kinte Clan, and that what happened to him and his descendants was THEIR family's PERSONAL experience. Whether Kunta was our guy or not or whether the book and series represent every little detail of White/Black relations is irrelavent.
I know myself as a writer will think I have an original idea only to later find out it wasn't and I had read it somewhere else 😂
There was no Kunte Kinte. He stole most of it and what he didn’t steal he made up. If the truth bothers you then that’s your problem
+Greedy D if you really think he plagiarised a whole book and got it through publication and syndication your a butterhead
KATY TV set up straw man argument. Defeat it. Celebrate defeating it. Repeat again. Nice try though
Well actually he Mis read the date certain slaves. Mama Izzy father wasn’t named Toby but hoping George because of his foot injury. Toby died 8 years before Izzy was born according to slave record. The likely scenario is kunta kinte slave name wasn’t Toby but George. Aunt Liz never told Alex Haley that kinte slave name was Toby, she told him that her grandpa told her his ( chicken George’s) grandfather was a man Mandinka warrior with the name kinte and he live near Gambia river.
This is emotional for ever time I see this documentary.
I love the family retrospective at the end where they went through the generations up to Alex. This episode never fails to bring tears to my eyes.
This mini series truly impacted my life in 1977!I knew about my Father side of the family,but didnt know much about my Mother side until 2 years ago and did the research and found the members of my Mother's Mother surname/maiden name Powell.This year we finally had our first family reunion and it was amazing!I owe all the respect and honor of Alex Haley and the mini series Roots!💯💯💯💯
Best series ever made! So sad 💔 how I wish Kizzy & the rest (& especially Kunte) could have gone back to meet their true 'Roots' and family. I hope Kunte's spirit was there! Alex Haley should have had photos taken of him with his family in Gambia xx I love all those characters and wish they didn't have to go through ANY of their struggles! God bless every one of them! 💖💙💚💛
I'm sure he was!😀😀
I remember watching this as teenager and was glued to the TV for night after night. Still today I never get tired of this emotional movie that has been part of this country for years and years to come.
I
I Got Chills From This🙌 And I Can Picture Kunta Kinte's Spirit Saying " Thank You For Bringing Me Home" 💞
Yes
Yes absolutely I fully agree with you
Wouldn't it be something, they exhumed his body, fly it back to his village to be buried? That would just make me cry the rest of my life. That an ancestor who was kidnapped from his country and after 200 years flown back to be buried in his homeland, chained free.
I watched Roots when it premiered in '77. Now, 55, soon be 56, I've never gotten over the mini series. For the month of July, 2022 it aired all month on The Grio. Marathon was the 4th of July, l stayed home, no visitors, no cooking just to watch it from noon to midnight. I watched every episode it aired. I once dreamt about Kunta, my husband said, "well, that's the closest you'll get to him!" That was 10 years ago. Didn't want to wake up all l wanted to do is hold him.
Watching the remake of Roots, l truly enjoyed, but I'm addicted to the original!
RIP JAMES EARL JONES.. A true king & legend ❤️.
I'm happy that I have find and write down my family history and family tree, I was inspired by this film,thank you mr Alex Haley.
A great television moment!
I have my own "roots" story. I am of Polish heritage and because of wars and distance, ties with my family were broken. But we found each other after over 100 years. What great day that was to meet each other after so many years. I cried like a baby!
Wow. Nice 👍🏾
This scene always makes cry tears of joy when Alex Haley finds his Roots
😁😁💕
I get choked up each time i watch it. So great!
Whenever I see the scene with Haley reunited with his cousin, tears stream don my face, as I'm doing right now.
We are you and you are us...aww! 🤗
Melanie Haendel
You’re a middle aged white woman. I think you’re just a tiny bit off, there.
I’m African and unfortunately, the vast majority of us just don’t understand or know what happened to our brothers, sisters, cousins, parents when they got on those ships towards the new world. It’s movie like this that’s important to teach a valuable lesson that our African chiefs were wrong, slavemasters were wrong, the institution of slavery was wrong, and the Europeans powers that allow slavery to exist were wrong! Let’s be clear on these facts that 99% of Africans today had nothing to do with the slave trade and let’s be clear that the vast majority of white people had nothing to do with slavery. The problem that exist as of 2021 is the fact that ethnocentrism, racism, tribalism, prejudices, discrimination and hate that’s part of human nature, must be minimized by one towards other people, for there are people out there who have fallen victims to these human ills...making it difficult for them to put ENOUGH bread and butter on the table for them and their family members. The great news here is that we all have the power as individuals to change the world around us, to treat the next person with empathy --to treat others the way you will want to be treated, regardless of your social-economic status . In a nutshell, be kind and treat others with decency, while giving other people an opportunity to climb the economic ladder of life, in today’s society. In a nutshell, forms of inequalities continue to exist, almost everywhere....centuries and decades later! With self love, self preservation, safe communities and UNITY, our survival will continue to be ENSURED!!!Thank you. Please don’t forget to hit the Subscribe button to follow my channel here on TH-cam at Wes Smith LT. Be safe out there! The subscribe button: m.th-cam.com/video/fDjT6-8QHbc/w-d-xo.html
@@warldorwessarnoelt3936 i appreciate you brother ✌🏾
Rest in Power James Earl Jones
as an african it kills me to watch this show "ROOTS".....especially with how the white man maltreated us .....when i first read fredrick douglass i wanted to cry ....its soo pathetic ....its difficult to trace our ancestors in todays generation ......cos there were alot of africans taken from different countries .... alex haley did a good job
*mistreated
@@AmandaFromWisconsin "past tense: maltreated; past participle: maltreated
treat (a person or animal) cruelly or with violence.
"children die from neglect or are maltreated by their caregivers"" - It's a valid word. No correction required for Fergy's comment. Merriam Webster agrees.
Don't forget the Arab also did the same
@@dannysands9341 no Arabs had anything to do with the transatlantic slave trade.
@@hassanabdur-rahman1559 I partly agree with you but there were some who helped capture slaves to be forced onto ships to be taken away from their homes to the USA, UK the Caribbean parts of South America etc
This series should've been played through the ages to teach the up coming generations the true history of the world, especially it's first occupants.. Africans.
my FAVORITE James Earl Jones's scene! RIP!!!
Damn it. I knew I shouldn't watch this at work. Had to get up and go back into the warehouse. There were actual tears. I think I was sobbing a few times.
I can't stand it....40 years later am I losing it...one of the most beautiful moments in television history.
There were too Emmy snubs for the actors and actresses in Roots the next generations.
Actors-Stan Shaw, Dorian Harewood, James Earl Jones, and Richard Thomas should have been nominated for their roles.
Actresses-Debi Morgan, Irene Cara, Lynne Moody, and Bever-Leigh Banfield should have been nominated for their roles.
Because of this movie, I want to trace my Italian Roots. I am supposed to be a DECENDANT of Caesar Augustus.
So far I have gotten to my Great Grandfather and I am stuck.
I fricking love when the flute come in after, meeting his cousin
This made me cry with happiness.
Great Film. Its a very emotional joyous occasion for anyone to trace their family. Caribbean Latino born in USA, I wish I could trace my ancestors and find out if I have any Taino , African, European or Spaniard background.
Sidenote; For a good many years I've been doing reearch into my family. I am of Native American, White, and Black heritage. I'm trying to pinpoint a Judy Walker married to a John Dalton from East Tennessee/Western North Carolina just before and after the Civil War. Do you know how many Judy Walkers and John Daltons there were in East Tennessee/Western North Carolina just before and after the Civil War. I totally get why Haley would hedge his bets and make an educated guess.
Hi!
Thank you, Alex, for continuing to bring us together.
How ever many times I watch this scene, the impact is still the same, tears began to flow.
A few years back, I stumbled upon a website that traced families that lived in towns along the MX/TX border, mainly in the Big Bend area. Most of these places are ghost towns. I found my grandmother's name on the site and kept clicking the links related to her relatives. It went back to 1695, to my great-grandparents x7. All I could think about was this scene from Roots when Alex Haley yelled out, "I found you, you old African." I thought, "I found you, you old Mexican". I just wished they would air this miniseries again.
How touching is that. It took 208 Years, and Seven Generations but Alex Haley made it back and to think that the young man he was embracing was his very own cousin with whom he couldn't communicate with.
The brilliance of this scene shows a few things. I am glad James Earl Jones' character found his tribe. It also makes the audience very happy that the man found what he wanted so deeply. Deeper, I wonder if we should look at it as "humanity needs to come together," or "man is a political (tribal) animal."
Makes me cry every time I watch this :'}
Samaire Provost omg right! Same here!!
Same here
Every time i watch roots i creid God bless axel haley and His all toots famil jaferi Gambia🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
Beautiful , I also love this piece, it reminds me of my grandma , very powerful.🔥
Rest in peace, James Earl Jones
When i turned 13 years , my mother gave to me as a present the book "Roots" , "Raíces" in Spanish.The miniserie had been broadcasted in Argentina in 1978.In Argentina there were slaves also.
Rest in peace, James Earl Jones.
This scene always brings tears to my eyes.
Rest in Power, James Earl Jones
Rest in Peace James Earl Jones
Rest In Peace James hopefully you’re up there with Kunta
*_YOU OLD AFRICAN...!_*
*I FOUND YOU, KUNTE KINTE!*
*I FOUND YOU! I FOUND YOU! I FOUND YOU!*
_Praise to God! For one long lost to us, for whom God has returned. Welcome... Son of Kinte... Welcome to your village._
Impossible not cry , amazing moment
As an amateur genealogist who has been working on her family tree for more than 50 years, this scene so resonates with me. I have a few “brick walls” in my family history. I’ve solved some of them but I still have a few more to solve. Many of my ancestors were born in Ireland and as most genealogists know, tracking down Irish family histories is not easy!! I’ve often envisioned going back to some of the areas in Ireland my family was from and having an “I’ve found you, Kunta Kinte” moment for myself. Wonderful scene. Always makes me cry when I watch it.
I have read the book Roots and watched the tv series so many time since the first time in 1982. I love this book and the way Alex Haley wrote about this family through the years. It's important not forget about family roots and we need to tell about them to the next generations.
I remember watching this end scene as a child and pops shed a couple and I didn’t understand, but I do now
Isn't that James Earl Jones playing the part of Alex Haley? I believe I'd know that voice anywhere.
Yes.
This i pray will happen for me someday most high god answer my prayer
Although Alex Hailey's account turned out to be plagerized...the most important thing for me is what this saga symbolizes.from the taking of Kunta Kinte from his Afrcan home, the story of his capture being passed onto the generations and the rediscovery of the original African roots.The realization that u descend from a rich heritage..no matter the distance or the time passed ..u will forever be a son or daughter of the African soil. ...to be cont'd
That part
This scene always made me cry,back then,and it still does today.Alex Haley.Wherever you are.Whether you know it or not.You did good.Rest In Peace Chief Petty Officer.Thank you for your service.And your gift to the world.
Amen to that!
I love Alex Haley for his great great work in Roots - my favourite book I read after high school just before University after I watched the wonderful TV series it affected me alot I was so interested to assemble my family tree
Great? He stole a book and made up people
His story is a fraud 😒 He does not descent from kunta kinte
@@kevindouglas5333 the book represents the reality of what happened to African Americans. I understand that you dismiss the book to try ease your conscious of what your ancestors did and how you are still benefiting from it.
@@akosuaayim888 The book represents all African Americans. It's a shame that you as a Ghanaian can't see that. African Americans are your people and you are their people.
Malcolm X inspired Alex Haley to search for his Roots.
I thank God who put it into my heart to become interested in the history of slavery. I see how this deeply impacted on the lives of so many human beings and I understand how important it is to find our roots and stay anchored there. I am an Italian white from a town close to the African coast. I have seen many African people come there and I have always seen them with respect. Please God forgive us for what we've done. Please help us to see ourselves as brothers and not as races. God bless.