NBA icon Michael Jordan talks about how Muhammad Ali’s legacy inspired him to actively fight racism in society (Getty Images)
NBA legend and HOFer Michael Jordan’s upbringing in Wilmington, North Carolina, was anything but typical.
In an era when white supremacists and far-right terrorist groups like the Ku Klux Klan were overwhelmingly present, his town was actually fueled by racism. Shockingly, they even touched Michael Jordan’s textbooks, sports gear and playground equipment.
Racial tensions hit Jordan hard when a classmate racially profiled him as a teenager. He reacted quickly and threw a can of soda at the offender, resulting in his suspension.
In Roland Lazenby’s biography “Michael Jordan: A Life,” the author recounts the details of Jordan’s early dealings with racism. Published in 2014, the book also tells the story of how Jordan had to face his own prejudices while trying not to let hatred get to him.
However, it was heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali who flipped the script for Michael Jordan!
In a 1993 interview with Australian television, Jordan talked about how Muhammad Ali’s wisdom helped him rise above the noise of race. Ali’s ability to break barriers and gain recognition beyond the color of his skin had a lasting impact on a young Jordan.
“He (Muhammad Ali) crossed a lot of barriers, a lot of boundaries. He was a pioneer who saw these people as human beings, not their race or their color or whatever, and I think that’s my ultimate goal, to be seen as To be a human being, even though my race is black, I am a human being just like you and everyone else,” Jordan said.
Muhammad Ali’s tryst with racism
The 1960s were a hot time in the United States, and racism was rife. When Muhammad Ali began his career in the early 1960s, he had to face the ugly face of racial discrimination inside and outside the boxing ring.
Ali changed things in 1964 when he converted to Islam and gave up his birth name, Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., to avoid a “slave name.” This move became a stepping stone in Ali’s fight against racism.
In addition to boxing, Muhammad Ali was also involved in political and social causes during the 1960s. He also refused the Vietnam War draft on religious and moral grounds. This move cost him a huge amount of time as he lost his boxing license and heavyweight championship.
Ali next appealed the case to the Supreme Court, and fortunately, authorities overturned his conviction in 1971. However, the legal battle took its toll, and nearly four decades of his career at the top of his game were wiped out.
Ultimately, Muhammad Ali became a source of racial pride for African Americans for his consistent protest against racism throughout his career. So much so that Michael Jordan’s unwavering stance against racism stayed with him from the beginning of his basketball career. During his 15-year NBA career, Jordan also became a legend in his own right.