Born on August 11, 1921, legendary author Alex Haley discovered his profound literary voice under the most unlikely circumstances while serving his country during World War II. Enlisting in the United States Coast Guard as a humble mess attendant, Haley spent long, monotonous voyages stationed in the vast expanses of the Pacific Theater. To break the numbing routine of shipboard life, he began experimenting with prose, typing out articles and short stories on a portable typewriter amidst the roar of the ship’s engines.
Haley quickly found a highly lucrative and appreciative audience among his fellow crew members, many of whom struggled to express their complex emotions to loved ones back home. For a small fee, Haley began ghostwriting deeply romantic, highly expressive love letters for these Coast Guardsmen to send home to their wives and girlfriends, a practice that drastically sharpened his narrative abilities and understanding of the human condition. His exceptional talent for written communication eventually caught the attention of high-ranking military officials who recognized his unique value to the service.
His writing grew so undeniable that the United States Coast Guard eventually took the unprecedented step of creating an entirely new official service rating tailored exclusively to his skills: Chief Journalist. Haley was the very first individual in the branch’s long history to achieve this rating, paving the way for him to transition into a prominent post-war journalism career with major national magazines. This military foundation ultimately enabled him to write The Autobiography of Malcolm X and his magnum opus, Roots: The Saga of an American Family, changing the landscape of American literature.
