Roots

In 1750, in Gambia, West Africa, Kunta Kinte, son of Omoro and Binta, distinguishes himself among his tribesmen in manhood training rituals. But he does not enjoy his new status long: slave traders sweeping the countryside seize him. Chained with other captives, Kunta begins an agonized odyssey to the New World.

Stars: Edward Asner, O.J. Simpson, Ralph Waite
Director(s): David Greene
Writer(s): William Blinn, Alex Haley, Ernest Kinoy

Despite a violent rebellion, the slave ship Lord Ligonier completes its voyage in 1767, and Kunta Kinte endures the indignity of an Annapolis slave auction. Fiddler, the slave in charge of Kunta's training, becomes his only friend, but Kunta's plans to escape and be with Fanta eventually put their friendship to the test.The events of Roots: The Gift (1988) are set between this and the next episode.

Stars: Louis Gossett Jr., Lorne Greene, Robert Reed
Director(s): John Erman
Writer(s): William Blinn, Alex Haley, Ernest Kinoy

In 1776, John Reynolds sells the now adult Kunta Kinte to his brother William. Kunta tries to escape again, this time with dire consequences. He also meets his match in Belle Reynolds, the slave who cooks for William's family.

Stars: John Amos, Lynda Day George, Louis Gossett Jr.
Director(s): Marvin J. Chomsky
Writer(s): Alex Haley, James Lee

By 1780, Kunta accepts his fate, settles down with Bell and they have a daughter named Kizzy. Several years later, Kizzy befriends Anne, the young girl who was the result of a secret affair between Kizzy's master, Dr. William Reynolds, and the wife of his cuckold brother John, the previous Kunta's owner. The girls quickly, and secretly, become best friends, which ends up having unintended serious consequences later on.

Stars: John Amos, Lynda Day George, Louis Gossett Jr.
Director(s): Marvin J. Chomsky
Writer(s): William Blinn, Alex Haley, James Lee

In 1806, Kunta's teenage daughter Kizzy falls in love with a slave called Noah, who later tries to escape. Unfortunately, he is quickly caught and tortured until he names Kizzy as his accomplice, sealing her horrific fate.

Stars: John Amos, Chuck Connors, Sandy Duncan
Director(s): Marvin J. Chomsky
Writer(s): Alex Haley, James Lee

In 1824, Kizzy is allowed to visit the plantation of her previous owner, Dr. William Reynolds, and learn the ultimate fate of her parents. Meanwhile, old slave Mingo teaches Kizzy's son George how to become a great cockfighting trainer. This eventually leads to huge unexpected changes in George's status.

Stars: Macdonald Carey, Chuck Connors, Scatman Crothers
Director(s): Marvin J. Chomsky, Gilbert Moses
Writer(s): Alex Haley, James Lee

In 1861, "Chicken George" returns home hoping to free his enslaved family.

Stars: Lloyd Bridges, Georg Stanford Brown, Olivia Cole
Director(s): Marvin J. Chomsky
Writer(s): Alex Haley, James Lee

The war is over, the Confederacy having surrendered, freeing the slaves. Mr. Harvey invites the slaves to stay if they wish, maybe sharecropping. The rest of the plantation owners, a senator and the sheriff have a meeting to discuss options, with the senator declaring that he's come to buy a lot of land. When tempers flare, the sheriff leaves. President Lincoln is shot by John Wilkes Booth. The former Harvey slaves' encampment is visited by masked men with torches on horses and Harvey is warned to "keep out of it".

Stars: Lloyd Bridges, Georg Stanford Brown, Olivia Cole
Director(s): Marvin J. Chomsky
Writer(s): M. Charles Cohen, Alex Haley