Pulitzer Prize winning author Alex Haley’s seminal novel Roots has been added to Knox County Schools’ growing list of books removed from library shelves. According to WATE 6, it is due to the Tennessee’s Age Appropriate Materials Act, which is causing discourse of its exclusion as one of America’s most culturally significant literary works centered on Black history and generational survival.
The Tennessee district’s decision places Haley’s landmark novel alongside previously removed titles such as Water for Elephants, A Court of Thorns and Roses, and A Clockwork Orange, all of which were flagged under the 2022 state law requiring public school systems to review library materials for age appropriateness. WATE 6 reports that Roots was elevated for formal review after concerns were raised over a specific passage in Chapter 84.
“As a district, we recognize the immense cultural and historical significance of Alex Haley’s Roots to our nation, to Tennessee, and to Knoxville in particular,” Knox County Schools Executive Director of Communications Carly Harrington said in a statement obtained by WATE. “The decision made to remove Roots from school libraries is in no way a commentary on the literary or cultural value of the novel, but the result of adherence to state law.”
Historic Literary Classic Removed Over Specific Passage
According to district officials, the review committee determined that the challenged excerpt met Tennessee’s statutory threshold for “sadomasochistic abuse,” as defined by the law.
WATE reports that under the current legal framework, committees are not permitted to weigh the broader literary, educational, or historical significance of a text when reviewing challenged passages. Instead, decisions are made solely on whether selected material violates the statute.
“Broader themes or historical significance of a work as a whole is not a consideration under the law,” Harrington stated.
Originally published in 1976, Roots: The Saga of an American Family chronicles the lineage of Kunta Kinte, an African man captured and sold into slavery, and traces his descendants’ journey through generations of oppression and resilience in America.
The book earned Haley a Pulitzer Prize and became a groundbreaking television miniseries that helped shape national conversations about slavery, ancestry, and Black identity.
Tennessee Ties Deepen Cultural Impact
The removal carries additional weight due to Haley’s deep Tennessee roots. WATE 6 notes that Haley has a statue in East Knoxville, the Children’s Defense Fund Alex Haley Farm is located in Clinton, Tennessee, and Haley himself grew up in Henning.
For many critics, the removal of Roots from school libraries raises concerns about educational censorship and access to Black historical narratives, particularly in a region so closely tied to Haley’s legacy.
Classroom Use Still Permitted
Despite its library removal, Knox County Schools clarified that Roots is not entirely banned from academic settings. According to WATE 6, the novel may still be used in direct classroom instruction, including AP or Dual Enrollment courses, provided it aligns with curriculum standards and is disclosed in course syllabi.
“Removal of a text under the Age Appropriate Materials Act does not prohibit a book from being used as instructional material during direct instruction,” Harrington said.
As debates over book bans and curriculum restrictions continue nationwide, the removal of Roots portrays the growing tension between legislative compliance and preserving access to foundational works that document America’s painful but essential history.
