In November 1975, Studs Terkel used his portable tape recorder to capture an interview with one of the best-known and most indelible figures of the 20th century: boxing great and activist Muhammad Ali (1942–2016). Their conversation covers Ali’s athletic artistry, his vibrant perspective on life, and his dynamic commitment to the American civil rights movement. Ali also discusses his childhood and family, conversion to Islam, stance on the Vietnam War, and experiences in jail – all of which he describes in his 1975 autobiography, “The Greatest: My Own Story.” Studs fills the remainder of the hour with music by Billie Holiday, Jimmy Rushing, Nina Simone, Count Basie, and others.
Muhammad Ali (11/26/1975)
Muhammad Ali, c. 1975 (Bernard Gotfryd photograph collection | Library of Congress 2020729681)
