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# Prop manacles worn by LeVar Burton as Kunta Kinte in *Roots*

National Museum of American History

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                      -     DetailsRelatedObject Details- Roots
- Description
- Actor LeVar Burton wore these prop manacles in the miniseries  Roots  (ABC, 1977), a dramatic portrayal of slavery as experienced by several generations of one family. Based on Alex Haley's autobiographical novel,  Roots  began with Kunta Kinte, an African youth brought to America as an enslaved person in the 1700s, and ended with the emancipation of his descendants during the Civil War. Watched by more than 100 million people, it was a significant departure from programs that had traditionally relegated blacks to minor, stereotyped roles.
- Credit Line
- The Wolper Organization
- 1977
- ID Number
- 1993.0170.02
- catalog number
- 1993.0170.02
- accession number
- 1993.0170
- Object Name
- shackles, prop
- Physical Description
- metal (overall material)
- rubber (overall material)
- paint (overall material)
- steel (overall material)
- Measurements
- overall: 6 1/2 in x 53 in; 16.51 cm x 134.62 cm
- Related Publication
- Kendrick, Kathleen M. and Peter C. Liebhold. Smithsonian Treasures of American History
- National Museum of American History. Treasures of American History online exhibition
- Related Web Publication
- http://americanhistory.si.edu/treasures
- See more items in
- Culture and the Arts: Entertainment
- Popular Entertainment
- National Treasures exhibit
- Exhibition
- Entertainment Nation
- Exhibition Location
- National Museum of American History
- National Museum of American History
- Subject
- Television
- Record ID
- nmah_1157570
- Metadata Usage (text)
- CC0
- GUID (Link to Original Record)
- http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/ng49ca746a9-d072-704b-e053-15f76fa0b4fa
Related Content-                    1970s: A Decade in the Collections                 
-                    1977: A Year in the Collections                 
  Prop Shackles from TV Mini-Series RootsCC0Creative Commons - No Rights Reserved iconUsage Conditions Apply>download icon>          There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .        International media Interoperability FrameworkIIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.View manifestView in Mirador ViewerExpand to view image×                PreviousNext             Footer logo      
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