Roots
A Cultural History
Will be published approx. on 20. August 2026
Book
Hardback
256 pages
978-1-5381-5392-5 (ISBN)
Description
Published in time for the 45th anniversary of the initial airing of Roots, this historical analysis integrates culture critiques, ideological analysis, and political and cultural studies to shed new light on an essential show.
The journeyofRootsfrompage-to-screen-to-popularculture momentisworthy ofa deep exploration.Rootswas notjustanother televisionseries; it capturedthe attentionofover seventy-fivemillionviewersduring itsinitial broadcastand continuestohaveresonancewithin popularcultureand televisionhistory.Someforty-plusyearsafterthe originalbroadcast, the frequentsyndicatedbroadcastingofthe originalseries,theavailabilityofthe programon streamingplatforms,anda recentremakeofthe seriesbythe HistoryChannel reflectthe continuedimpactandinterestinthe program.Currently,no book-lengthstudyofthe impact andaftermathoftheRootsbroadcastexist;athoroughexaminationofthe programislong overdue.
The journeyofRootsfrompage-to-screen-to-popularculture momentisworthy ofa deep exploration.Rootswas notjustanother televisionseries; it capturedthe attentionofover seventy-fivemillionviewersduring itsinitial broadcastand continuestohaveresonancewithin popularcultureand televisionhistory.Someforty-plusyearsafterthe originalbroadcast, the frequentsyndicatedbroadcastingofthe originalseries,theavailabilityofthe programon streamingplatforms,anda recentremakeofthe seriesbythe HistoryChannel reflectthe continuedimpactandinterestinthe program.Currently,no book-lengthstudyofthe impact andaftermathoftheRootsbroadcastexist;athoroughexaminationofthe programislong overdue.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Illustrations
20 BW Photos
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 25 mm
Weight
454 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5381-5392-5 (9781538153925)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Eric Pierson is a professor and former chair of the Communication Studies Department at the University of San Diego. He has written on a variety of topics for outlets such as Screening Noir, The Journal of Mass Media Ethics, and Scope. His most recent writings, "The Promise of Roots" and "In The Beginning There Was Shaft," appear in Watching While Black: Centering the Television of Black Audiences and Beyond Blaxploitation. Pierson is a regular guest and panel moderator for the Roger Ebert Film Festival in Champaign/Urbana. He can also be seen in the documentaries Infiltrating Hollywood: The Rise and Fall of the Spook Who Sat By The Door and Cover Story: The Press Your Luck Scandal.
Content
Introduction
Section One: Network Television before Roots
Chapter One: What about Us?
Chapter Two: Roots the novel
Chapter Three: Enter David L. Wolper
Section Two: The Production Process
Chapter Four: Casting Call
Chapter Five: The Broadcast Standards Wars.
Chapter Six: A Change in Network Management
Section Three: New Ways of Thinking?
Chapter Seven: The Broadcast and the Aftermath
Chapter Eight: Television and African American Images Post-Roots
Notes
Index
About the Author
Section One: Network Television before Roots
Chapter One: What about Us?
Chapter Two: Roots the novel
Chapter Three: Enter David L. Wolper
Section Two: The Production Process
Chapter Four: Casting Call
Chapter Five: The Broadcast Standards Wars.
Chapter Six: A Change in Network Management
Section Three: New Ways of Thinking?
Chapter Seven: The Broadcast and the Aftermath
Chapter Eight: Television and African American Images Post-Roots
Notes
Index
About the Author