Im a black man and Im proud of it. Im a black man and Im going to show it to the World “

Muhammad Ali

INTRODUCTION

When most people hear the name ‘Muhammad Ali,’ they think of a boxing legend. But Ali was more than that. He was a symbol of courage, justice, resistance and the tireless belief in standing up for one’s values and ideas. Ali gave the African-American civil rights movement of the 20th century a voice, and one so loud that it was heard far beyond the United States.

THE STORY

Muhammad Ali was born on 17 January 1942 and given the name Cassius Marcellus Clay, which he later described as a slave name and therefore changed. Ali grew up in an African-American middle-class family in Louisville, Kentucky, a southern state in the United States. His father, Cassius Marcellus Clay Senior, was a charming and entertaining character, but an alcoholic. His mother, Odessa Clay, was a loving mother, and his younger brother, Rudolph Clay (later Rahman Ali), was a loyal companion to Ali. [1]

Ali discovered boxing when he was 12 years old. Ali was riding his brand new bicycle through the streets of Louisville with his brother on the handlebars when it suddenly started to rain. The two brothers took refuge in a public building, left the bicycle outside and waited for the rain to stop. But when they came out, the bicycle was gone. The two were furious, because the bicycle had been a Christmas present and was actually far too expensive for the Clay family.[2] A passer-by told the two that there was a policeman in the basement of the building to whom they should report the theft. The policeman, Joe Martin, who was also a boxing coach, saw the young Ali standing in front of him, seething with rage, and listened to his complaint. Ali was so angry that he told the policeman he wanted to beat up the perpetrator, whereupon the policeman recommended that he start with boxing training first.[3] Ali fought his first amateur bout in the same year, and by the age of 18 he had fought around 100 more, winning 90% of them.

His successful amateur career led to him representing the USA at the Olympic Games in Rome at the age of just 18.[4] Ali won the light heavyweight gold medal in 1960, which changed his life overnight. Now, he was somebody. Ali was so full of pride and euphoria that he didn’t want to take off his medal and wore it day and night.[5]

Ali on the podium at the 1960 Olympic Games, from left to right:: Giulio Saraudi (ITA), Tony Madigan (AUS), Muhammad Ali (USA), Zbigniew Pietrzykowski (POL). © Public domain/ Polish Press Agency (PAP)

Back in America, Ali wanted to celebrate his victory with friends and acquaintances in a posh restaurant, but the waiter told him that only white people were served in his restaurant. Ali replied, stunned, that he had just won the gold medal for the USA, but that meant nothing to the waiter. It is said that Ali was so angry that he threw his medal into the nearby river.[6] She had become meaningless to him. The reality of Jim Crow America caught up with Ali. ‘Jim Crow’ is symbolic of the systematic segregation of the black and white populations in the United States. Under the motto ‘separate but equal,’ the African American population was socially segregated and systematically discriminated against by the so-called ‘Jim Crow laws.’ There were separate schools, neighbourhoods, workplaces, restaurants, prisons and even mortuaries. The facilities for the African American population were characterised by a lack of modernity and equipment. Schools, for example, had no sports fields and were equipped with only the bare essentials..[7] The incident in the restaurant changed something in Ali. He was no longer fighting just for his personal success in boxing, but for his dignity and equality for the African American population.

Ali successfully continued his boxing career and understood early on how to increase his popularity and use it effectively. Ali was not like the other black athletes before him. Before Ali, it was customary for black athletes to be reserved, quiet and ‘grateful’. They were expected to entertain, but not to raise their voices – especially not on political issues. But Ali did exactly the opposite. He was loud, he was confident, and he provoked his opponents at press conferences. He was eloquent, rhetorically gifted and always brought a certain humour to the table. With quotes such as ‘Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee. The hand can’t hit what the eyes can’t see. And I am pretty!’, the young African-American boxer attracted national attention.[8] Ali’s polarising personality quickly became a symbol of the African-American civil rights movement, as he defied the social norms of the white population and was not afraid to speak out against injustice.

On 25 February 1964, Ali’s career reached its first peak when he fought Sonny Liston for the world heavyweight title. Sonny Liston was considered invincible at the time, and Ali was the clear underdog. The odds were 7:1 against Ali, and no one believed that the 22-year-old boxer would win. But Ali achieved the impossible and managed to win the fight in just two minutes.[9] Well-known figures from the civil rights movement were also present at the victory celebration, including a certain Malcolm X. Ali and Malcolm had met two years earlier and had been close friends ever since. The significantly older Malcolm took on the role of mentor and influenced Ali’s ideas about religion and politics. This led Ali to become a stronger and more determined activist and subsequently join the Nation of Islam (NOI), which, however, must be viewed critically.[10] The NOI was a Muslim community of African-American men who were committed to spreading Islam in America, but also propagated the idea of ‘Black Supremacy’, which was not based on equality, but on reversing the situation to oppress the white population. They demanded a separate state for the black population and, in some cases, portrayed white men as devils.[11] Upon joining the NOI, Ali also converted to Islam and changed his name to Muhammad Ali, as he considered his birth name to be a ‘slave name’. In the mid-1970s, Ali left the Nation of Islam.

Ali’s rapid rise came to an end in 1967. He refused to serve in the Vietnam War, stating: “My conscience won’t let me go shoot my brother or some darker people or some poor hungry people in the mud for big powerful America and shoot them for what? They never called me n*****. They never lynched me. They didn’t put no dogs on me. They didn’t rob me of my nationality.” An African-American Muslim who refused to serve in the military was the ideal enemy for white America.[12] Ali was stripped of his world title, his boxing licence was revoked, and he was also to receive prison sentences and fines. He was robbed of his purpose in life because he stood up for his morals and values.

But Ali did not give up and lodged an appeal. During the three years that his trial lasted, Ali was unable to fight, but he continued to train tirelessly. In the end, Ali won the trial and was allowed to box again.[13] In 1970, he competed once again for the world title, this time against Joe Frazier. Ali was again considered to have no chance, and Frazier was seen as overwhelmingly powerful. But Ali managed, after a three-year break and a legal battle for his livelihood, to defeat his powerful opponent and regain the world title in the famous ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ fight.[14] His comeback became a symbol of resistance, of the fight against state repression and injustice. For three years, Ali had to endure harsh consequences for his refusal to go to war in Vietnam, but he did not give up. Ali had now reached the height of his popularity and appeared on the cover of Life magazine, among other publications. His fame had spread far beyond the United States and he was celebrated internationally. Among other things, his subsequent trip to Africa ensured that he also became an international symbol for all oppressed peoples.[15]

Ali used his popularity for his resistance, giving public speeches, appearing on talk shows and spreading his political message. In a speech at Harvard University in 1975, he spoke about racism and discrimination. ‘I’m a black man and I’m proud of it. I’m a black man and I’m going to show it to the world,’ ‘Everything good was white. The angel food cake was white, the devil food cake was chocolate,’ are famous quotes from his speech. [16]

Another example comes from an appearance on a British talk show, where he once again demonstrated his charisma and rhetorical elegance. Quotes such as ‘It’s hard to be humble when you are as great as I am’ or ‘I’ve wrestled with alligators, I’ve tussled with a whale. I’ve handcuffed lightning and thrown thunder in jail. You know I’m bad. Just last week, I murdered a rock, injured a stone, hospitalised a brick. I’m so mean, I make medicine sick’ have also gone around the world..[17]

Muhammad Ali and wife Lonnie in Washington D.C., 2001. © Kingkongphoto & www.celebrity-photos.com from Laurel Maryland, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0

Ali fought his last fight in 1981 and then ended his boxing career. After his career, he continued to campaign for justice and human rights and remained active in activism. For example, in 1990 he was appointed as a diplomat in negotiations with Iraq and was able to secure the release of several hostages. Unfortunately, Ali suffered increasingly from the effects of Parkinson’s disease, which forced him to withdraw from public life.[18] Until 1996, Ali did not make any public appearances and no one knew exactly what condition he was in. At the 1996 Olympic Games, Ali made a surprise appearance and held the Olympic torch firmly in his hand. His whole body was shaking due to his Parkinson’s disease, but Ali still managed to hold the torch.[19] This moment was a kind of tribute to Ali’s life, which was marked by struggle, resistance and courage. In the years that followed, his illness worsened until Ali passed away in 2016.

Muhammad Ali was much more than a boxing champion – he was a voice for social justice, a symbol of the fight against racism and a role model for many generations. His courage in opposing the Vietnam War, his support for the civil rights movement and his humanitarian commitment made him a global icon. To this day, he continues to inspire activists, athletes and people who are committed to equality and peace.

Author: Juri Lückmann

Contact: info@fritz-bauer-forum.de

Sources:

Ali, Hana Yasmeen: Mit dem Herzen eines Schmetterlings. Meine Gedanken zum Leben, New York 2004.

Eig, Jonathan: Ali. Ein Leben, München 2018.

Muhammad Ali: Ein Leben in zehn Fotos. Film-Dokumentation (BBC, 2021).

Remnick, David: King of the World. Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero, London 1998.

Footnotes: