Joanie Clarkson
In this video from History, we get a quick snapshot into the life of Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. The video tells the story of his bike being stolen and him wanting to fight the thief. At the encouragement of a police officer, he learned how to box.
In 1960 Ali won 19 boxing matches in a row! He would win the title of Heavyweight Champion. He had many famous insults, as insulting your opponent is considered part of fighting sports.
He later changed his name when joined his new religion, Islam. He also stood up for unequal treatment of African Americans in America and refused to be drafted into the Vietnam War. He would go on to fight for civil rights and would inspire many others to do the same.
This short video, just under 2 minutes is perfect for introducing Muhammad Ali. This would be a great springboard for a research project. Perhaps, students could write about Black Leaders in various fields, i.e. literature, civil rights, arts and entertainment, and sports. This could be a group project where each student is assigned a person to present to the class. For sports, you could have Ali and Serena Williams, who you can read about here. We will be adding more Black Leaders in various fields daily, so check back often!
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