MUHAMMAD AU1942-2016
Photos by Bud Dorsey. Louisville Defender
The Childhood Home of
Muhammad Ali on
Grand Avenue in West
Louisville has been
restored into a museum.
Thousands have visited
the home to honor
Louisville's Hometown
Hero, Muhammad Ali.
Muhammad Ali, 'The Greatest,'
makes his final journey home
BY YVONNE COLEMAN BACH
LOUISVILLE DEFENDER EDITOR
LOUISVILLE, KY - Hearts were
heavy in many of the citizens of Louisville
when it was announced that their home
town hero, boxing great Muhammad Ali,
had died at the age of 74 in a Phoenix,
Arizona hospital Friday, June 3, from com
plications relating to Parkinson's disease,
bringing to a close his most challenging
fight.
Although Ali was known and loved
throughout the country and the world,
there was a special bond that he shared
with his hometown. Louisville is the home
of the Muhammad Ali Center and just
recently, Ali's childhood home was
restored as a museum in his honor. The
home is located in West Louisville, the
heart of the African-American community.
Ali's roots were in Louisville, every
one knew he would always return home.
Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. - Muhammad
Ali -The Greatest, made his final journey
home Sunday, June 5, 2016 in a private
plane that carried his body back to his
home. A motorcade led him to A. D.
Porter & Sons Funeral Home?Southeast
on Bardstown Road. Louisville's
Hometown Hero is Home. Plans have been
made for all to say their farewells to the
Champ.
A Jenazah Service will be held at
Freedom Hall at noon today, Thursday,
June 9,
Ali's funeral will be on Friday, June 10.
The public ceremony will be held at 2 p.m.
at the KFC YUM Center in Downtown
Louisville. Seating will be limited, with
15,000 tickets available. However, for
those unable to attend, the service will be
streamed live from www.alicenter.org.
Louisville Metro Mayor Greg Fischer
issued a statement about his passing.
"The values of hard work, conviction
and compassion that Muhammad Ali
developed while growing up in Louisville to
helped him become a global icon. As a ki
boxer, he became The Greatest, though his G
most lasting victories happened outside the th
ring. Muhammad leveraged his fame as a A
platform to promote peace, justice and H
humanitarian efforts around the world, m
while always keeping strong ties to his h<
hometown. Today, Muhammad Ali's fel- fin
low LJpuisvillians join the billions whose
lives lie touched worldwide in mourning ra
his passing, celebrating his legacy, and e\
committing to continue his fight to spread in
love and hope. Thank you Muhammad, for A
all you've given your city, your country in
and the world." w
To honor Ali's life and work, flags at
all Metro Government facilities were low- le
ered to half-staff at 10 a.m. Saturday morn- m
ing when citizens joined the mayor in a d<
special ceremony. to
Kentucky U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth sc
said, "The word 'champion' has never fit a w
man better. Muhammad Ali was a champi- hi
on for peace, a champion for justice, and a hi
champion for equality. He was a man who b;
gained fame in a violent game, but gi
immorality as a gentle and caring soul. In hi
the ring, there was no one better, but his
contributions to humanity managed to w
eclipse his boxing prowess." di
Yarmuth said he remembers watching ft
every one of his championship fights. "I \
remember waiting for him at Standiford
Field when he returned home after beating r?
Liston, thinking to myself that I had never d<
seen a more perfect human being. And I th
remember the loud-mouthed speedster by gi
the name of Cassius Marcellus Clay, C
whose fights in and out of the ring would li
one day make him Muhammad Ali - a self- pi
less giant who put principles over every- s<
thing and never forgot the city he called
home!" rr
He truly was the greatest, especially in re
his hometown. Growing up in Louisville, A
many in his age group had the opportunity h
attend high school with him, then
town as Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. at
entral High School; he' babysat for those
at lived in his neighborhood on Grand
venue. Even when Ali became the
eavyweight Champion of the World and
oved away, he always returned to his
jmetown. He never forgot where he came
om.
Ali's popularity transcends age and
ce lines. Young children that were not
/en born when Ali achieved his greatness
i the boxing ring know exactly who he is.
li often times returned home to speak and
iteract with area youth from all races and
alks of life.
It was in Louisville that Ali first
amed of racism. As a small boy, his
lother Odessa Grady Clay, a household
amestic worker, took her son downtown
i the five-and-dime store. She said her
>n was thirsty and he asked for a drink of
ater, but the store would not give it to
im because of his color. His mother said
; started to cry and she calmed him down
y taking him to a place where he could
st some water. However, she said it really
art him.
Young Cassius Clay's bike was stolen
hen be was 12 years old. It was that inci
snt that led him to take boxing lessons
om retired Louisville Police Officer Joe
lartin.
When he left Louisville, Ali's family
imained, including the mother that was
sar to him. She died August 20, 1994 at
le age of 77 in Louisville and was eulo
ized by local minister Rev. Dr. Kevin
osby. "One of the greatest honors of my
fe was when Muhammad Ali asked me to
reach the eulogy of his mother Odessa,"
lid Cosby.
Cosby said, "When I eulogized Ali's
tother, I said Odessa his mother was the
x>t and Ali was the fruit. He (Muhammad
Ji) stood on his feet! It was a great
onor!"
Many more sent in their respects for
Ali, such as Oprah Winfrey, President
Barack Obama, Kentucky Gov. Matt
Bevin, U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch
McConnell (a Kentucky Republican) and
U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (also a Kentucky
Republican).
Before the Friday funeral service, there
will be a procession throughout Louisville
to allow the general public to pay their
respects. Starting at 9 am., the procession
will travel northbound on Bardstown
Road, westbound on the Watterson
Expressway and then noith on 1-65 to
westbound 1-64, exiting on the 9th Street
Ramp. The procession will then travel
west on Muhammad Ali Blvd. to 34th
Street, left on 34th Street to Broadway,
making a left on Broadway and then trav
eling to Cave Hill Cemetery. The proces
sion will proceed slowly to allow mourn
ers to pay their respects.
Pallbearers for the funeral will include
Will Smith, the actor who portrayed Ali in
the movie ALI; John Grady, Ali's cousin;
Ibn Ali-Muhammad Ali's nephew;
Komawi Ali, former brother-in-law; Jerry
Ellis, brother of Jimmy Ellis who was Ali's
former sparring partner and a former
heavyweight champion of the world, also a
Louisville native; Lennox Lewis, former
heavy weight champion of the world; Jan
Wadell, Ali's first cousin; and John
Ramsey, Ali family Friend.
Speakers at the funeral will include
Lonnie Ali, Maryum Ali, Rev. Dr. Kevin
Cosby, Rabbi Joe Rapport,
Actor/Comedian Billy Crystal, Bryant
Gumbel, Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erogan, King Abdullah II of Jordan, Orrin
Hatch, and Former President Bill Clinton,
a representative of the Catholic Faith and a
representative of the Buddhist Faith.
Ali N.C.
from page Al
welcome remarks to Ali
during the dinner used his
famous phrase, "Float like
a butterfly, sting like a
bee." Finally when it was
his turn to speak, Ali got
up, thanked everyone for
coming, and joked that a
few of the speakers looked
like his arch-rival, Joe
Frazier.
When the emcee played
a practical joke and gave
Ali a rubber nose as a
"Howard Cosell Fake Nose
Award," the champ leaned
into the microphone and
mumbled, "It's the wrong
color," bringing the Shaw
University gymnasium
down with laughter.
After his victory over
Sonny Liston to take the
heavyweight boxing
crown, the federal govern
ment soon ordered Ali to
report for enlistment in the
U.S. Army. Ali refused,
saying that his Islamic faith
prevented him from taking
part in the bloody Vietnam
War the US. was engaged
in. Because of'his refusal,
the federal government
stripped him of his title and
passport for three years,
preventing Ali from earn
ing a living in the ring.
It was during the initial
proceeding in federal court
in Houston, Texas, in 1967
that Ali met Cecil Goins.
Mr. Goins, now 90, was
one of the few black
Federal US. Marshals in
&?. i
the nation at the time.
Having joined in 1965,
Goins was part of security
for the historic Selma to
Montgomery, Ala. march.
The Southern Pines native,
NC A&T alum and U.S.
Army World War El/Korean
War veteran, was based out
of the Eastern District
North Carolina, but
because the Ali case had
drawn such worldwide
attention, he and another
black deputy U.S. Marshal
were reassigned to Houston
by the U.S. Justice Dept. to
provide protection for the
controversial prizefighter.
"Our orders were to go
down and keep order,"
Goins recalls, noting that
with a prominent black col
lege, Texas Southern
University, right there, '
huge crowds of young peo
ple, as well as protesters,
were expected.
"I was with him every
day," Goins said during a
phone interview from his
Raleigh home on Monday,
adding that Ali was in ?
"good shape" because he I
had been training for an s
upcoming fight when he '
had been indicted. Ali was
always up early in the r
morning for prayer and to. .
jog, and then would arrive
at the courthouse at least an . v
hour before his 9 am. trial a
Ali would use that time F
to walk the Halls and meet
people. The U.S. Marshals
were required to issue tick- s
ets to spectators in order to a
admit them to the court- 0
AP Photo/John Roooey, FUe
n this May 25,1965, file photo, heavyweight champion Muhammad AU, then known as Cassius Clay,
lands over challenger Sonny Liston, shouting and gesturing shortly after dropping Liston with a short hard
ight to the jaw, in Lewiston, Maine.
oom. w
"When there were ai
>reaks during the trial, Ali c!
vould leave his lawyers h
ind conie out to be with the e
eople, "the retired U.S. w
darshal says. h
As someone who had G
erved in the US. Army b
ctive duty for many years R
iver two wars, Mr. Goins H
dmits that he didn't agree a|
'ith Ali's refusal to serve
t first. But Coins got the
hance to speak to the
eavyweight champion
very day before the trial
ould start, understand
im, and also observe him.
loins was impressed when
lack militant leader H.
ap Brown came to the
louston courthouse to
pptufently join with Ali to
start a protest against the
war, and Goins saw Ali turn
Brown away. The champ
knew be Was facing at least
five years in federal prison,
he was determined to wage
his fight against the
Vietnam War through the
courts. Golos recalls H.
Rap Brown did not come .
back.
"I agree with the mass
es of people. At the time 1
thought he was dodging to
serve in the military. But
now I can see his reason
ing," Mr. Goins, who later
retired from the U.S.
Marshals after 25 years,
says. "He had more nerve
than most people to do
what he did."
i