The African (Courlander novel)

A twelve-year-old African boy, Hwesuhunu, is kidnapped from his homeland by French slave traders,[2] and endures the terrors of the Middle Passage and being sold into slavery. Hwesuhunu is brought to the island of Saint Lucia, and is later sold to a Georgia plantation for US$100.

He is assigned the new name of Wes Hunu, and spends years as a slave before escaping and living for a time with Native Americans. Hwesuhunu goes to Freedom Island, a refuge located in a swamp, that sheltered escaped slaves. But the refuge is governed by a cruel bully, so Hwesuhunu leaves in search of a better home.[2]

The novel became the subject of controversy when it was revealed that author Alex Haley had plagiarized sections of The African for his 1976 novel Roots[3] which later was made into a 1977 television miniseries,[4] a 1979 sequel miniseries, and a 2016 television miniseries remake.[5]

In 1978, Haley paid Harold Courlander and his publisher $650,000 (~$2.15 million in 2021) as out-of-court settlement of the lawsuit.[4]