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Tennessee State
Historical Marker
Listed in the National Register of Historic Places |
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Alex Haley House & Museum Originally known as the Palmer House, this 10-room, turn-of-the-century, bungalow home was built in 1919 by Will E. Palmer, the maternal grandfather of Alex Haley (1921-92).
 Alex Haley House
From 1921 to 1929, and during some subsequent summers, Haley lived here with his grandparents.
The front porch was often the place where young Haley heard the oral accounts of family history, including stories of Kunta Kinte, the young Mandingo man captured near his West African home. These stories inspired Haley to write about his ancestry in a book called Roots. This 1976 Pulitzer Prize winning novel has been translated into over 30 languages and has had great influence in stimulating the study of genealogy. Roots was adapted for an eight-part television series, which became one of the most popular programs in television history.
On December 14, 1978, the Alex Haley House was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It has attracted scholars and other visitors from around the world. Haley is buried on the grounds.
Tennessee State Historical Marker Text: Alex Haley's Boyhood HomeWill Palmer, a prominent Henning businessman, built this house in 1918-19, Palmer's grandson Alex Haley lived here from 1921 to 1929 and later spent many summers with his grand-parents. It was on the porch that he heard the stories told by his grandmother and aunts which inspired him to write his 1976 Pulitzer Prize-winning book Roots. Millions of Americans watched an eight-part television adaptation the following year.
Erected by Tennessee Historical Commission
Last updated: 2/14/2015 15:17:00 |
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See all Tennessee African American History locations.
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Alex Haley House Historical Marker Location Map, Henning, Tennessee Map
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