Roots

Kunta Kinte, a headstrong and clever teenager growing up in the Kingdom of Niumi in the 1760s debates whether to follow in the footsteps of his father and become a Mandinka warrior or forge his own path as a student in Timbuktu.

A dramatic depiction of American slavery spans the lives of author Alex Haley's ancestors as they face tragedies and triumphs while being caught up in slave uprisings, the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and emancipation.

When the Revolutionary War breaks out, Kunta joins the British in pursuit of emancipation as his thirst for freedom remains unbroken.

Kizzy gives birth to Tom Lea's son, George, and decides to kill herself. At the last moment, Kizzy chooses to live like her father before her.

As George grows to manhood, he exhibits traits of both parents; he becomes an accomplished trainer of gamecocks, earning the nickname Chicken George.

Tom Lea takes part in a wager where if he wins, he agrees to give George his emancipation papers, and if he loses, the consequences will be severe.