Roots Factoids

Facts about Roots

The African Queen - Kunta Kinte's wife, Belle Reynold, was played by Jamaican-born Madge Sinclair. She also played the wife of two other iconic African characters in American film: Mufasa from The Lion King and Jaffe Joffer in Coming to America.  (Photo: Disney)

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The African Queen - Kunta Kinte's wife, Belle Reynold, was played by Jamaican-born Madge Sinclair. She also played the wife of two other iconic African characters in American film: Mufasa from The Lion King and Jaffe Joffer in Coming to America.  (Photo: Disney)

Ed Asner - Ed Asner's character, Captain Thomas Davies, was not  in the book and was made for TV to show the moral conflict white people had about slavery.(Photo: Vince Bucci/Getty Images)

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Ed Asner - Ed Asner's character, Captain Thomas Davies, was not  in the book and was made for TV to show the moral conflict white people had about slavery.(Photo: Vince Bucci/Getty Images)

Ratings on ABC - Of Roots' high ratings, an ABC executive said, "One third of America was snowed in, one third of America is Black and one third watches ABC anyway." (Photo: ABC)

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Ratings on ABC - Of Roots' high ratings, an ABC executive said, "One third of America was snowed in, one third of America is Black and one third watches ABC anyway." (Photo: ABC)

Crouthers, who played Mingo in Roots, was also the voice for Roadblock in G.I. Joe and Jazz in Transformers. - (Photo: The Cartoon Network)

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Crouthers, who played Mingo in Roots, was also the voice for Roadblock in G.I. Joe and Jazz in Transformers. - (Photo: The Cartoon Network)

Roots: The Gift - Louis Gossett Jr. and LeVar Burton reprised their Roots characters, Fiddler and Kunta Kinte, in this two-hour movie for television based on an idea by author Alex Haley. Fiddler and Kunta accompany their plantation owner, Dr. Reynolds, to help their neighbors, the Parkers, with Christmas preparations. While there, they learn that Parker's son, Edmund, is involved with the Underground Railroad. (Photo: ABC)

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Roots: The Gift - Louis Gossett Jr. and LeVar Burton reprised their Roots characters, Fiddler and Kunta Kinte, in this two-hour movie for television based on an idea by author Alex Haley. Fiddler and Kunta accompany their plantation owner, Dr. Reynolds, to help their neighbors, the Parkers, with Christmas preparations. While there, they learn that Parker's son, Edmund, is involved with the Underground Railroad. (Photo: ABC)

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Savannah, Georgia - The first scenes in Roots, set in Africa, were actually filmed in Savannah, Georgia. (Photo: National Park Service)

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Savannah, Georgia - The first scenes in Roots, set in Africa, were actually filmed in Savannah, Georgia. (Photo: National Park Service)

Quincy Jones - @QuincyDJones: Rest in Peace dear Donna Summer. Your voice was the heartbeat and soundtrack of a decade.(Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

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Quincy Jones - Quincy Jones composed and produced the song "Oluwa (Many Rains Ago)" for Roots. (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images)

Photo By Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Reading Rainbow - Several Roots stars went on to work in children's programming, including Ben Vereen, who hosted Zoobilee Zoo, and LeVar Burton who hosted and executive produced Reading Rainbow. (Photo: Courtesy of PBS)

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Reading Rainbow - Several Roots stars went on to work in children's programming, including Ben Vereen, who hosted Zoobilee Zoo, and LeVar Burton who hosted and executive produced Reading Rainbow. (Photo: Courtesy of PBS)

Robert Reed - Robert Reed, who starred as the father in the popular sitcom The Brady Bunch, also starred in Roots as a slaveowner. (Photo: Paramount Televsion)

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Robert Reed - Robert Reed, who starred as the father in the popular sitcom The Brady Bunch, also starred in Roots as a slaveowner. (Photo: Paramount Televsion)

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Nat Turner - Nat Turner's rebellion of 1831 played a big role in episode five of Roots. (Photo: MPI/Getty Imges)

Photo By Photo: MPI/Getty Imges