Alex Haley, an American author was born in 1921 in Ithaca, N.Y., and grew up in the South. He is best known for his book, Roots: The Saga of an American Family, published in 1976. He started his writing career while in the Coast Guard, writing short stories for magazines. He became chief journalist for the Coast Guard, and handled its public relations. When he retired from the Coast Guard he became a full-time freelance writer.