'Roots' stars John Amos, Louis Gossett Jr. look back
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Forty-five years ago, the ground-breaking mini-series âRootsâ aired for the first time on national television.
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NEW YORK â Itâs been 45 years since the mini-series âRootsâ became one of the most-watched series in television history.

The final episode was watched by a then record-breaking 100 million people in the United States.

What You Need To Know

âRoots,â the mini-series, is celebrating its 45th anniversary.

Alex Haley wrote the novel âRoots.â

Louis Gossett Jr. says âRootsâ is relevant now more than ever.

âRootsâ was based on the novel by Alex Haley, telling the life story of Kunta Kinte, who was captured in West Africa and sold into slavery in Colonial America. Two actors played Kinte: Levar Burton and John Amos.

âThat program elevated the American consciousness,â said Amos. âAnd I think even the international conscious as regards to the history of race, and slavery, and what the impacts are even unto this generation.â

The mini-series starred other big names in entertainment, including Cicely Tyson, Leslie Uggams and Louis Gossett Jr., who played Fiddler, and says âRootsâ is still relevant today.

âI think itâs relevant more now than ever, because we're on the brink of being one nation under God, indivisible,â said Gossett. âSo now we have the ability to maybe unite the world with a common credo that is going to take mankind to save mankind.â

Amos believes the reaction to âRootsâ today would be mixed.

âIt would be curious because of the political atmosphere that we all presently live in now,â he said. âIt would range all the way from wonderful, it's time to show it again, to total indifference.â

Both Amos and Gossett remember the nationwide reaction to âRootsâ when it first aired in 1977.

âEverywhere we went supermarkets, we were noticed, the people from âRoots,â said Gossett. âMade me feel very good.â

âIt was the event to watch on television,â said Amos. âWe enjoyed the highest viewing audience of any mini-series in the history of the medium.â

âRootsâ is streaming now on HBO Max.