Black Americans of Achievement

Muhammad Ali's considerable skills as a boxer earned him the world heavyweight championship, a title that he lost and regained twice. But it was the force of his personality and his unwavering personal convictions that made him a lightning rod of the turbulent 1960s and elevated him to the status of the most recognized, controversial, and admired athlete in the world. He stunned the public early on by declaring his conversion to the Black Muslim religion. Only after many months did the media realize that Ali's decision was neither a publicity stunt nor defiance of the white world but an expression of Ali's inner sense of discipline and spirituality. During his championship reign of the 1960s, Ali was virtually unhittable, much less beatable. One of the defeated contenders, Zora Foley, marveled, "He could write the book on boxing." Muhammad Ali offers a solid introduction to his life.