Alexander Murray Palmer Haley, known as Alex Haley, was an acclaimed American writer born on August 11, 1921, in Ithaca, New York. Haley's literary works have played a pivotal role in highlighting African American history and heritage. His most famous work, Roots: The Saga of an American Family, published in 1976, became a seminal piece in African American literature and was adapted into a highly successful television miniseries.

Haley began his writing career with The Autobiography of Malcolm X in 1965, a book that was the result of a series of in-depth interviews with Malcolm X himself. This collaboration brought to light the life and philosophy of one of the most influential civil rights leaders.

At the time of his death on February 10, 1992, in Seattle, Washington, Haley was working on another novel that explored his family's history. The unfinished work was published posthumously as Queen: The Story of an American Family and also became a miniseries titled Alex Haley's Queen.

Haley's contributions have inspired many to delve into genealogy and family history, fostering a widespread interest in the diverse narratives that form the tapestry of American history.