Despite going up against the Warriors vs. Thunder game Monday and Snoop Dogg’s Instagram rant, Roots came through with some pretty impressive numbers! 5.3 million people tuned into the premiere on the History channel and another 3.2 watched via Lifetime and A&E. Roots chronicles the life of Kunta Kente, an African man who was captured and forced into slavery, and follows a few generations until it reaches Alex Haley, the author of the novel which the film is based on.
The reboot has received so much praise and has faced just as much criticism for the simple fact that many people are sick of hearing the slavery stories, even though Roots is considered the single most important film for Blacks and African-Americans. The reason why this reboot is necessary, especially now, is because too many children are completely unaware of what our ancestors have endured, which, on paper, legally ended just over a century and a half ago.
Facebook feeds are laden with statuses of parents showing concern of this and are blaming the school systems for not informing their children about our cultural genocide. Do you really think that this country is interested in teaching our children about that much less issuing apologies to African-Americans despite the psychological effects that are still prevalent today? If you don’t know what I’m talking about, go read the Willie Lynch Letter and you’ll understand that this is very real and it’s something that we have a responsibility to teach our children.
Sure, our people were kings and queens and we’d like to see more films that depict that, however, a whole generation does not know about American slavery and that’s a problem.
So, Roommates, continue to tune into Roots and have the necessary conversations with your friends and families about it! It’s history!
TSR STAFF: Talia O. @theclosetratchet on Instagram & @tallyohhh on Twitter!
Source: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2016/06/01/business/media/roots-mini-series-premiere-draws-5-3-million-viewers.html?referer=https://www.google.com/
