Not only does Kunta Kinte hold steadfastly to freedom, he holds on just as tightly to the fact that he is no one’s slave. It makes me appreciate my history as a young black woman so much more. Given its historical accuracy, it is mind blowing to suddenly come to the realization that these people may well have been my ancestors. This is something I could have never imagined going through and surviving, and that’s exactly what Kunta Kinte is trying to do, despite his best efforts to escape. This movie, while shocking and graphic in some places and absolutely heartbreaking in others, taught me about strength and perseverance. And I had not heard of a rebellion on the slave ships. While this is very true, it isn’t the only part of the equation. Often, we are told that the English invaded the villages and took who they wanted. This gives me so many more sides to a story that most of my history classes have glazed over. The villagers weren’t idle in their captivity. READ How Do You Cope With Stress From Parents and Teachers?īut “Roots” goes deeper into the slave ship experience than our history classes have taught us. There he endures the frightening trip from Africa to America where his people and others are shackled on top of one another. When the actual slavery story arc begins, we learn that Kunta Kinte is sold into it by an enemy tribe. This serves him well in his encounters with enemy tribes and foreigners as well as his own people in warrior training. He is independent, adventurous, resourceful and driven. It not only sets the tone for the episode, but shows us Kunta Kinte’s personality and upbringing as well. The scene suddenly rewinds to show traditional life in the Mandinka tribe, which isn’t something I’ve seen a lot in slavery movies.

In the spirit of the older “Roots,” there is no shying away from the difficult subject matter. This was a great way to set the scene for such an impactful opening episode.

We see Kunta Kinte’s face through that grill, unsure, wary, and definitely fearing the worst. The movie’s opening shot is of light streaming through a thick steel grill. on the History Channel, I had many mixed emotions watching Kunta Kinte’s life unfold. The story follows Kunta Kinte, a beloved son and warrior of Gambia’s Mandinka tribe who is sold into slavery by an enemy tribe.Īt an advance screening of the first episode of the new eight-hour mini series set to air Memorial Day, Monday, May 30 at 9 p.m. The upcoming History channel program “Roots” is a re-telling of the classic TV mini series that took the world by storm in 1977 and is based on the 1976 bestselling book “Roots” by Alex Haley.

Roots book alex haley