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You can say I had a severe case of 'Roots' envy. I wanted to be like Alex Haley, and I wanted to be able to... do my family tree back to the slave ship and then reverse the Middle Passage, as I like to put it, and find the tribe or ethnic group that I was from in Africa.
Henry Louis Gates
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"You can say I had a severe case of 'Roots' envy. I wanted to be like Alex Haley, and I wanted to be able to... do my family tree back to the slave ship and then reverse the Middle Passage, as I like to put it, and find the tribe or ethnic group that I was from in Africa."
— Henry Louis Gates #familyparenting

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You can say I had a severe case of 'Roots' envy. I wanted to be like Alex Haley, and I wanted…

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You can say I had a severe case of 'Roots' envy. I wanted to be like Alex Haley, and I wanted to be able to... do my family tree back to the slave ship and then reverse the Middle Passage, as I like to put it, and find the tribe or ethnic group that I was from in Africa. — Henry Louis Gates

About Henry Louis Gates

Henry Louis Gates was a Critic from United States (1950–present).

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who said "You can say I had a severe case of 'Roots' envy. I wanted to be like Alex Haley…"?
This quote is attributed to Henry Louis Gates, a Critic from United States.
When did Henry Louis Gates live?
Henry Louis Gates lived from 1950 – present.
What is this quote about?
This quote touches on Family & Parenting. Browse more quotes on these themes from the categories page.