The Greatest: Muhammad Ali

Content Warning: This section discusses racism.

Sports in America have always been interwoven with politics and social power. The greatest athletes are heroes to many young people and help feed industries of journalism and marketing. There is often an insistence that such people must act as role models, adhering to prevailing social norms to minimize controversy and maximize profitability. Since the overwhelming bulk of political and economic power lay with white people in the 20th century, the potential for a Black athlete to outperform their white competitors was a threat to white supremacist ideology. Before Jackie Robinson started for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947, nearly all major sports were strictly segregated. In boxing, however, efforts to maintain the so-called “Color Line” were more difficult due to its international structure. White America could not prevent African American boxer Jack Johnson from challenging white Canadian boxer Tommy Burns for the heavyweight title in Australia, as he did successfully in 1908.

Furthermore, boxing has long been a particularly potent source of ethnic pride. Its simple rules, strict focus on individuals, and brutality feed the impression that whoever wins is “the best” in a fundamental way. The heavyweight champion in particular stands out as the toughest man on earth.