Roots author Alex Haley wrote Roots because he sought clarity. As a child, he listened to the stories his grandmother told him about their ancestors. Haley became intrigued by the first generations of her family. Haley decided he would go back as far as possible to find more information about his ancestors. After 12 years of travel and research, he finally gathered all the information he needed and decided to write a book about his family's saga. He titled the book Roots. His highly anticipated book was released in 1976. This book is based on a true story. Kunta Kinte was born in the early spring of 1750, the firstborn of Omoro and Binta Kinte. Kunta is named after his grandfather Kairaba Kunta Kinte, who was a well-respected elder of the village of Juffure in Gambia, Africa. Kunta was born into the Mandinka tribe which is made up of faithful Muslims. As a young child, Kunta faced many challenges, including starvation and disease. When Kunta was on his second kafo (African for stages of life), he participated in manhood training, where he learned to hunt, fight and, most importantly, avoid the Toubob (African name for hunters white slaves). After successfully completing his manhood training at the age of 15, Kunta left his parents' hut and built his own hut. While in his own hut, he became bored and lonely, so he occupied himself with playing the drum. One day, Kunta went to collect wood to make a new drum, when he heard a twig snap. When Kunta turned around, it was Toubob and a slate (African name for an African who betrays his country and helps white settlers capture Africans to make them slaves). Kunta put up an incredible fight, he clawed, bit and scratched the Toubob but he was hit in the middle...... middle of paper...... good. George learned quickly and became one of the best chicken trainers in North Carolina. He was nicknamed Chicken George. Chicken George married a young slave girl from another plantation, Matilda. Chicken George had a son named Tom Murray, who was his first child. In total, Chicken George and Matilda had eight children; Tom, Virgil, Ashford, George Jr., James, Louis, Kizzy and Mary. Virgil married Lily Su and they had a baby daughter, Uriah. Tom married a woman named Irene and they had seven children; Maria, Ellen, Wini, Matilda, Elizabeth, Tom Jr. and Cynthia. Cynthia married a man named Will Palmer. They had one child, Bertha George Palmer. Bertha married Simon Alexander Haley, who was previously married to Zeona Hatcher, with whom they had a son, Lois Haley. Bertha and Simon had George Haley, Julius Haley and Alex Haley, the author of Roots..