Muhammad Ali Memorial Center

Introduction

Text-to-speech Audio

The Muhammad Ali Center is a non-profit museum that is dedicated to the great Muhammad Ali. It is located in Louisville Kentucky. It was made in Louisville Kentucky because this is where Cassius Clay was born and where he grew up for most of his childhood. Louisville is where Muhammad Ali lived with his mother, Odessa Grady Clay, his Father, Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr, and his younger brother, Rudolph Valentino Clay who soon changed his name when Muhammad Ali changed his too Rahman Ali. In Louisville is also where Muhammad Ali met his trainer that introduced him to boxing, his name was Joe Elsby Martin Sr. The museum opened up on November 19, 2005, it cost $80 million to construct. Its founder is Lonnie Ali who is the widow of the late Muhammad Ali. The Muhammad Ali Center took around 9 months to construct. Just recently in 2020 it was added to the United States civil rights trail, which shows that Muhammad Ali was not only a boxer but a trail blazer in the Civil Rights Movement back in the 1960s. The United States Civil Rights Trail is a trail of different historical sites in the United States that were important to the civil rights movement. These important civil rights locations include sites like, Selma Alabama, School integration, Bloody Sunday, and the Supreme Court of The United States. The Muhammad Ali Center is apart of this historical list of civil rights sites. This shows the impact that Muhammad Ali had on the civil rights movement during his time. These impacts are displayed by exhibits in the Muhammad Ali Center from his advocation against the War in Vietnam which, caused him to serve jail time for standing up for what he believed in, to his civil rights speech at Berkley California.

Images

The outside of the Muhammad Ali Center shows the great architecture that makes this building incredible.

The exhibits of Muhammad Ali showing his success.

More exhibits of Muhammad Ali, showing the big projector that displays key Muhammad Ali fights.

One of the six core principals exhibits. This one is dedication that exhibits Muhammad Ali's dedication to his sport and what he believed in.

Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

In Muhammad Ali's life he followed six core principals, confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, respect, spirituality. Confidence, belief in ones self, ones ability, and ones future. Conviction, a firm belief that gives one the courage to stand behind that belief, despite pressure to do otherwise. Dedication, the act of devoting all of one's energy, effort, and abilities to a certain task. Giving, to present voluntarily without expecting something in return. Respect, esteem for, or a sense of the worth or excellence of, oneself and others. And finally spirituality, a sense of awe, reverence, and inner peace inspired by a connection to all of creation and/or that which is greater than oneself.

Throughout Muhammad Ali's life he dedicated himself to inspiring people. He did this by pushing himself to the limits in his training and in his fights. He also dedicated himself to helping others. He also stood up for what he believed in when he refused to go to the Vietnam war and sacrificed his career in doing so. In addition he dedicated so much time into being the greatest boxer in the world. All of these values and ideals are represented at The Muhammad Ali Center. Each six core principals has its own exhibit.

In The Muhammad Ali Center you can find many intriguing exhibits that walk you through Muhammad Ali's life. There is an orientation theater that walks you through key moments of his life in a well representative manner. In addition to the theater there is a real life boxing ring the was recreated based off of Muhammad Ali's Deer Lake Training Camp. Another two storied room showcases Muhammad Ali memorabilia like boxing gloves that were used in his fights and shorts that were worn by him in his fights. There is a huge projector that plays the film "The Greatest" on to a life size boxing ring. And finally there are watching area's where you can view any of Muhammad Ali's greatest fights and his infamous post fight interviews.

Muhammad Ali's great life was displayed all over sports pages and international newspapers. He was more than just a boxer. He was a role model for any and all people. He explored the whole world helping those in need. He delivered food for those who needed it most in struggling countries. All of this stems from his core values that are represented in the Memorial. People come from all around the world to see this memorial and it is a great historical land mark in the United States.

Muhammad Ali was also a great civil rights leader. In 2020 The Muhammad Ali Center was added to the United States Civil Rights Trail. This trail has all of the significant Civil Rights sites that had an Impact on the civil rights movement. The actual location of the museum and the museum itself had no impact on the civil rights movement but the great Muhammad Ali did. From his refusal to join the army and fight in a war he didn't believe in, to his civil rights speech at Berkeley California. His great voice and incredible conviction helped make him one of the most influential civil rights leader and what put this Museum on the United States Civil Rights Trail.

As a boxer Muhammad Ali brought tremendous skill, grace, and power. Winning the world heavy weight title 3 separate times. His personality and charm captivated the world and changed what people viewed a champion to be. His charisma and dedication to his practice is an inspiration to all. The leadership he displayed with his civil rights movements even when it affected his career are inspirational as well. Muhammad Ali is the greatest of all time.

Sources

“Muhammad Ali - Muhammad Ali Center: Be Great :: Do Great Things.” Muhammad Ali Center | Be Great :: Do Great Things. Accessed March 24, 2020. https://alicenter.org/about-us/muhammad-ali/.

Ezra, Michael. “How Muhammad Ali Influenced the Civil Rights Movement.” USA | Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera, June 5, 2016. https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2016/06/muhammad-ali-influenced-civil-rights-movement-160605055700822.html.

Myers, Walter Dean . The Greatest: Muhammad Ali. Edition Advanced readers ed, 1st ed. New York, New york. New York: Scholastic Press 2001, 2001.

Standifer, Wayne. Muhammad AIi's Six Core Principals, Wiener World. June 5th 2016. Accessed April 6th 2020. https://www.wayneblogs.com/2016/06/muhammad-alis-six-core-principles.html.