B I O  |  B I L L   H A L E Y

Literary and performing legend, Maya Angelou, once said, “You can’t really know where you are going until you know where you have been.” Poignant words from the actor who portrayed Kunta Kinteh’s grandmother “Yaisa” in the historic 1977 Emmy-winning miniseries, “Roots.”  Her words also capture the spirit that Bill Haley, Jr.—Alex Haley’s grandson—has dedicated himself to upholding and applying the powerful lessons of family, culture, and heritage from Roots to the 21st century.

 

As a young boy, Bill was among the over 130 million record-breaking viewers captivated by Roots’ sobering depiction of enslavement, and the perseverance of his ninth-generation ancestor, Kunta Kinteh, who fought to ensure the oral history and legacy of his life would be passed down to future generations. Witnessing his family’s oral history come to life on TV over 8 consecutive nights—based on Alex Haley’s (“Haley”) Pulitzer Prize-winning book, Roots—was an unforgettable experience—filled with both pride and apprehension.  However, the then shy 12-year-old and grandson of the internationally-famous author of Roots, was initially overwhelmed by the sudden attention, excitement, and curiosity about Roots, his grandfather, and his ancestors: Kunta Kinteh, Kizzy, and Chicken George. Over time, he adapted to this new reality and embraced the responsibility that came with being associated with Alex Haley. However, it seems it was predestined, because Bill was not only born to Haley’s only son, William “Bill” Haley, Sr., and Lelia Haley in New York City, but during Black History Month (February 3).

 

Growing up Bill eagerly listened to Haley recount the thrilling search to uncover the family’s African heritage. It was during one of these moments that Haley first met Ebou Manga in 1966—a Gambian international student at Hamilton College—who translated the African words from the family’s oral history, preserved through seven generations. Ebou Manga was also instrumental in taking Haley to Gambia for the first time, and with the help of Ebou’s family and contact, Haley was ultimately led to the discovery of Kunta Kinteh’s descendants in the village of Juffureh. All of which was captured in 1979’s miniseries, Roots: The Next Generations with James Earl Jones as Haley and revered Senegalese actor, Johnny Sekka as Ebou.  In fact, Haley and Ebou became lifelong friends, a legacy that’s carried on today with the friendship of Bill and Ebou’s son, Malick Manga.

 

Roots as a book not only became one of the world’s best-selling books, but in the U.S. families were inspired to trace their roots, exploding the number of requests to the National Archives, let alone those he inspired globally—especially of the African Diaspora—to trace their roots.  Haley became a tireless national and international “ancestral” ambassador to encourage people to seek, discover, and celebrate their heritage and generations of lineage. After Haley’s unexpected passing in 1992, his son, Bill Haley, Sr. and grandson, Bill Haley, Jr. honored his legacy two years later by partnering with McDonald’s to sponsor the Haley Family’s Adventure to the Homeland—a week-long tour to Kunta Kinteh’s ancestral Gambian village of Juffureh, as well as Senegal. In fact, Bill now owns land in the Juffureh and Albreda area, as well as sponsors Kinteh family members through college, carrying on the tradition of his grandfather.

 

Bill continued to honor his Kinteh ancestors and grandfather by going to The Gambia’s International Roots Festival in 2016. He returned in early 2023 with Malick Manga, to celebrate seven significant Roots-related anniversaries, including his grandfather being brought to the Gambia for the first time by Ebou in 1967. They also met with various private entities and public sector agencies of The Gambia government, as well as had a reception held in their honor by then U.S. Ambassador Sharon L. Cromer.

 

Inspired by this year’s 50th anniversary of Roots’ publication, and the upcoming miniseries in 2027, Bill is drawing upon his previous experience of making magic for families at Disney to fulfill his generational assignment as Co-Founder of a newly formed nonprofit, The Inherited Roots Project with Malick Manga.

 

The key mission of The Inherited Roots Project is not only to honor and share the legacy and impact of his grandfather’s literary contributions, but along with those of Ebou Manga to that endeavor with respect to “Roots.”  However, most importantly, Inherited Roots Project wants to inspire the African diaspora and generations of people, young and old, from every corner of the globe, to explore, discover, and embrace the ancestral connections to their homeland—to their ROOTS.

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Bill lives in California with his wife and two daughters.

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