Alexander palmer haley biography of martin

(b. 11 August 1921 in Ithaca, New York; d. 10 February 1992 in Seattle, Washington), author who during the 1960s instituted the standard format for the Playboy magazine interview; his Playboy interview with the civil rights activist Malcolm X led to the publication of The Autobiography of Malcolm X (1965).

Haley was the oldest of three sons born to Simon Haley, a college professor, and Bertha (Palmer) Haley, a teacher. Six weeks after his birth his parents took him to Henning, Tennessee, to live with Bertha's parents, Will and Cynthia Palmer. Haley and his mother remained with the Palmers while Simon returned to Cornell University to complete his graduate studies in agriculture. Haley graduated from high school at the age of fifteen. He attended Elizabeth City Teachers College in North Carolina for two years (1937–1939). Instead of pursuing a career in education, however, he joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1939. Approximately thirteen years after entering the Coast Guard he became the chief journalist of the service, editing the official Coast Guard publication, The Outpost. Haley developed his writing skills by writing love letters on behalf of fellow servicemen and creating adventure stories.

In 1941 Haley married Nannie Branch, with whom he had two children. They divorced in 1964. He married Juliette Collins later that year. They had one child and divorced in 1977. Haley married his third wife, Myra Lewis, in 1977. They were separated at the time of his death.

In 1959 Haley retired from the military after twenty years of service. He became a freelance writer for Reader's Digest, New York Times Magazine, Harper's, and Atlantic. At Playboy he created and inaugurated the critically acclaimed Playboy interview, interviewing such notables as the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr.; Melvin Belli; Johnny Carson; Miles Davis; George Lincoln Rockwell, the leader of the American Nazi Party; and a min

Alexander Murray Palmer "Alex" Haley (August 11, 1921 – February 10, 1992) was an American writer. He is best known as the author of the 1976 book Roots: The Saga of an American Family and as the co-author of The Autobiography of Malcolm X. Alexander Murray Palmer Haley was born August 11, 1921, in Ithaca, New York to Simon Haley and Bertha George Palmer. His father was a professor of agriculture at Alabama A&M University. Alex was the oldest of three brothers and one sister. At the age of 15, Alex enrolled at Alcorn State University then a year later at Elizabeth City State College. The next year he returned home to let his father know he had withdrawn from school. Simon felt his son needed more discipline and convinced Alex to join the military. At the age of 18, Alex joined the Coast Guard, a decision that would lead to a 20 year military career. It was during his service in the Pacific during WWII that Alex taught himself the art of story writing. It's said that other sailors would pay him to write love letters to their girlfriends. Alex said that their greatest enemy wasn't the Japanese forces but instead boredom. After retiring from the military, Alex began his writing career and eventually became a senior editor of Reader's Digest. Alex conducted the first interview for Playboy magazine with Miles Davis in the September 1962 issue. He had many notable interviews including Martin Luther King Jr., Muhammad Ali, Johnny Carson, Quincy Jones, Sammy Davis Jr. and American Nazi Party leader George Lincoln Rockwell. Haley's first book, published in 1965, was The Autobiography of Malcolm X. It described the path that Malcolm X followed from street criminal to national spokesman for the Nation of Islam. It was the culmination of 50 in-depth interviews that Alex had with Malcolm between 1963 and 1965. In 1976, Alex published a novel bas

(1921-1992)

Who Was Alex Haley?

Alex Haley served in the U.S. Coast Guard for two decades before pursuing a career as a writer. He eventually helmed a series of interviews for Playboy magazine and later co-authored The Autobiography of Malcolm X. The following decade, Haley made history with his book Roots, chronicling his family line from Gambia to the enslaved-holding South. The Pulitzer Prize-winning book was turned into a 1977 miniseries that became one of the most popular TV shows of all time. Major controversy ensued, however, when Haley was accused of plagiarism and presenting historical and genealogical inaccuracies. Nonetheless, Roots has remained a groundbreaking work in the public imagination.

Early Life

Haley was born Alexander Murray Palmer Haley on August 11, 1921, in Ithaca, New York. At the time of his birth, Haley's father, Simon, a World War I veteran, was a graduate student in agriculture at Cornell University, and his mother, Bertha, was a musician and teacher.

For the first years of his life, Haley, who was called Palmer during childhood, lived with his grandparents Cynthia and Will in Henning, Tennessee, while his father finished his studies. Upon Will's death, Haley's parents returned to Tennessee where Simon procured work at Lane College. Haley was proud of his father, whom he said had overcome the immense obstacles of racism to achieve high levels of success and provide better opportunities for his children.

Haley graduated from high school at the age of 15 and enrolled at Alcorn A&M College (Alcorn State University) in Mississippi. After one year at Alcorn, he transferred to Elizabeth City State Teachers College in North Carolina. Haley had a difficult time at school, much to the harsh consternation of his father.

Writing for the Coast Guard

In 1939, Haley quit school to join the Coast Guard. Although he enlisted as a seaman, he was made to toil in the inglorious role of mess attendant. To relieve his

Early Life

Alex Haley was born Alexander Murray Palmer Haley on August 11, 1921, in Ithaca, New York. At the time of his birth, Haley’s father, Simon Haley, a World War I veteran, was a graduate student in agriculture at Cornell University, and his mother, Bertha Palmer Haley, was a teacher. For the first five years of his life, Haley lived with his mother and grandparents in Henning, Tennessee, while his father finished his studies. When Simon Haley completed his degree, he joined the family in Tennessee and taught as a professor of agriculture at various southern universities. Alex Haley was always remarkably proud of his father, whom he said had overcome the immense obstacles of racism to achieve high levels of success and provide better opportunities for his children.

At the conclusion of World War II, the Coast Guard permitted Haley to transfer into the field of journalism, and by 1949 he had achieved the rank of first class petty officer in the rate of journalist. Haley was soon promoted to chief journalist of the Coast Guard, a rank he held until his retirement in 1959, after 20 years of service. A highly decorated veteran, Haley has received the American Defense Service Medal, World War II Victory Medal, National Defense Service Medal and an honorary degree from the Coast Guard Academy. Haley also had a Coast Guard Cutter named in his honor, the USCGC Alex Haley.

Career as a Writer

Upon retiring from the Coast Guard in 1959, Haley set out to make it as a freelance writer. Although he published many articles during these years, the pay was barely enough to make ends meet. Haley recalls working 16-hour days for about $2,000 a year, surviving on nothing but canned sardines for weeks at a time. Then, in 1962, Haley got his big break when Playboy magazine assigned him to conduct an interview with the famous trumpeter Miles Davis. The interview was such a success that the magazine contracted Haley to do a series of interviews with prominent African-Americ