The Resume

(August 11, 1921-February 10, 1992)
Best known for 'Roots: The Saga of an American Family (1976)'
Other works include 'The Autobiography of Malcolm X (1965),' 'A Different Kind of Christmas (1988)' and 'Queen (1993)'
Wrote articles for 'Reader's Digest' and 'Playboy'

Why he might be annoying:

He was sued by Harold Courlander for plagiarizing from his novel 'The African.'
He settled paying Courlander $650,000 for using three paragraphs from 'The African' verbatim in 'Roots.'
He was also sued by Margaret Walker, who claimed he plagiarized from her novel 'Jubilee.'
By far, more people watched the 'Roots' mini-series on television than read the book.
O.J. Simpson acted in the 'Roots' mini-series.

Why he might not be annoying:

He spent twelve years researching his genealogy, which he traced to Juffure, The Gambia.
'Roots' is based on the slave story of his earliest known ancestor, Kunta Kinte.
He won a special Pulitzer Prize for 'Roots (1977).'
The Kunta Kinte Foundation was established to preserve African-American history.
The 'Roots' television mini-series attracted more than 130 million viewers.
He served in the United States Coast Guard for twenty years (1939-1959).

Credit: D

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Celebrities who Served in World War II [1939-45]
• Civil Rights Activists
• D's Profiles [Series 01]
• Garrett Morris Impersonations
• Hamilton College's Most Admired Men [1977] (Ranked: 19)
• I Died in 1992 (Ranked: 60)
• I Got in Trouble for Plagiarism
• I Write Bildungsroman
• Modern Library's 100 Best Non-Fiction Books of the 20th Century (Ranked: 51)
• Playboy Interview Subjects [1970s] (Ranked: 1977)
• Profiles 13001-13250 (Ranked: 13199)
• Roots [1977]
• Roots: The Next Generation [1979]
• Spingarn Medal Winners (Ranked: 1977)

Year In Review:

For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 5 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
In 2023, Out of 5 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 12 Votes: 83.33% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 74 Votes: 41.89% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 21 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 26 Votes: 61.54% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 17 Votes: 70.59% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 47 Votes: 53.19% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 23 Votes: 47.83% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 34 Votes: 64.71% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 103 Votes: 60.19% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 29 Votes: 58.62% Annoying
In 2010, Out of 79 Votes: 58.23% Annoying
In 2009, Out of 44 Votes: 52.27% Annoying
In 2008, Out of 116 Votes: 67.24% Annoying
In 2007, Out of 162 Votes: 57.41% Annoying
In 2006, Out of 202 Votes: 55.45% Annoying
In 2005, Out of 454 Votes: 53.52% Annoying
In 2004, Out of 227 Votes: 41.41% Annoying