Gambia River in 1767. In Lloyd's of London, he discovers a merchantman named the Lord Ligonier had sailed from the Gambia on July 5, 1767 bound for Annapolis. The Lord Ligonier had cleared customs in Annapolis on September 29, 1767, and the slaves were advertised for auction in the Maryland Gazette on October 1, 1767. He concludes his research by examining the deed books of Spotsylvania County after September 1767, locating a deed dated September 5, 1768, transferring 240 acres and a slave named Toby from John and Ann Waller to William Waller. Characters in Roots Kunta Kinte – original protagonist: a young man of the Mandinka people, grows up in The Gambia in a small village called Juffure; he was raised as a Muslim before being captured and enslaved. Renamed Toby. John Waller – planter, who buys Kunta Dr. William Waller – doctor of medicine and John's brother: buys Kunta from him Bell Waller – cook to the doctor and wife of Kunta Kizzy Waller (later Kizzy Lea) – daughter of Kunta and Bell Missy Anne – Dr. Waller's niece, who lives off the plantation, but visits Dr Waller regularly. She befriends Kizzy and teaches her reading and writing by playing "school". Tom Lea – slave owner in North Carolina to whom Kizzy is sold George Lea – son to Kizzy and Tom Lea, he is called "Chicken George" Matilda – whom George later marries Tom Murray – son of Chicken George and Matilda Cynthia – the youngest of Tom's and Irene's eight children (granddaughter of Chicken George) Bertha – one of Cynthia's children; the mother of Alex Haley Simon Alexander Haley – professor and husband of Bertha; father of Alex Haley Alex Haley – author of the book and central character for last 30 pages; the great-great-great-great-grandson of Kunta Kinte. Family tree Reception Published in October 1976 amid significant advance expectations, Roots was immediately successful, garnering a slew of positive reviews and debuting at number five of The New York Times Best Seller list (with The Times choosing to classify it as non-fiction). By mid-November, it rose to number one. The television adaptation of the book aired in January 1977, further fueling book sales. Within seven months of its release, Roots had sold over 15 million hard cover copies. In total, Roots spent twenty-two weeks at the number one spot on The Times list, including each of the