Muhammad Ali Posters, Books, DVD, Video, Links for Learning
for social studies classrooms and sports facilities.

MUHAMMAD ALI BOOKS & DVD/VIDEO

The Greatest: Muhammad Ali by Walter Dean Myer - the amazing story of Muhammad Ali’s childhood, his rise as a champion, his politics, and his battles against Parkinson’s disease. Packed with dramatic black-and-white photos, this critically acclaimed biography is the perfect choice for both young adult sports fans.

I Am the Greatest: The Best Quotations from Muhammad Ali by Muhammad Ali, Karl Evanzz - Muhammad Ali has always been much more than a gifted boxer. A charismatic figure whose comical rhymes and controversial opinions have made headlines around the world for more than four decades, Ali has become the best-known person on the planet. USA Today and Sports Illustrated named him their “Athlete Of The Century.” To commemorate the 60th birthday of this living legend, author Karl Evanzz has compiled Ali’s thoughts on everything from Aging to Women’s Rights. I Am The Greatest offers the most comprehensive collection of Ali’s quotes to date. Combined with unforgettable black-and-white photographs, a brief biography, and other’s views about him, I Am The Greatest vividly illustrated why Ali has been such a phenomenal influence in national and international affairs. No athlete in history has had a more profound impact on American culture than Ali. As he once said of his unique qualities, “Ain’t never been no nothing like me.”

King of the World: Muhammad Ali and the Rise of an American Hero by David Remnick - On the night in 1964 that Muhammad Ali (then known as Cassius Clay) stepped into the ring with Sonny Liston, he was widely regarded as an irritating freak who danced and talked way too much. Six rounds later Ali was not only the new world heavyweight boxing champion: He was “a new kind of black man” who would shortly transform America’s racial politics, its popular culture, and its notions of heroism. Author charts Ali’s rise from the gyms of Louisville, Kentucky, to his epochal fights against Liston and Floyd Patterson, giving empathetic portraits of Ali and the people around him.

The Soul of a Butterfly: Reflections on Life's Journey by Muhammad Ali, Hana Yasmeen Ali - a collection of the supreme athlete's spiritual contemplations as a series of mini-chapters on love, friendship, peace, wisdom, understanding, respect, Ali's religious reflections, personal anecdotes, Sufi parables, aphorisms, personal letters and poetry.

Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight : Cassius Clay Vs the United States of America - Muhammad Ali's Greatest Fight is a behind-the-scenes account of this battle as told by a genuine insider--Ali's closest friend, photographer Howard Bingham

When We Were Kings (1997) DVD ~ Muhammad Ali - Decades ago, documentary filmmaker Leon Gast attempted to complete a feature about the 1974 “Rumble in the Jungle” championship bout between boxers Muhammad Ali and George Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire. Sundry complications, though, held up the project until its release in 1996. It was well worth the delay. From Gast’s perspective of modern history, the six weeks Ali and Foreman were forced to spend waiting in Africa for their fight to take place now looks like an important moment in America’s cultural understanding of African American roots. In a nutshell, Ali had been stripped of his heavyweight champion title because his opposition to the Vietnam War-era draft had landed him in prison. Reigning champ Foreman agreed to a Don King-promoted match in Kinshasa, but after all parties got there the fight was put off. Gast captures the charismatic Ali, in the ensuing days and weeks, going out among the people and getting to know them while the more reclusive Foreman keeps to his own company. Meanwhile, King brings over black American artists such as James Brown and the Spinners to mix it up with African musicians. The sense of excitement and connection is thrilling, as is the boxing footage of Foreman and Ali finally taking swings at one another in a titanic duel. Writers George Plimpton and Norman Mailer, each of whom was covering the fight as journalists, are on hand to recollect the details. Whether you’re a fight fan or not, this is a unique experience and a fascinating insight into America’s sense of identity.

MUHAMMAD ALI LINKS FOR LEARNING

• Official Muhammad Ali site
• Muhammad Ali Biography
• Muhammad Ali Biography from Boxing Hall of Fame
• Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville
• Muhammad Ali Biography and Sports Record
• Muhammad Ali National Geographic Famous Faces Bio