Description:

Phenomenal Historical Sports Artifact! Muhammad Ali's Personal Diary for 1968! Over 1800 words in Muhammad Ali's hand, including two signatures, of where he was and what he did in 1968. Perhaps the lengthiest manuscript of the "Greatest of All Time" in private hands, chock full of content: "…Story on fight with Joe Frazier and Buster Mathis… watching the Jack Johnson play in N.Y… on T.V. with Howard Cosell…"

MUHAMMAD ALI (1942-2016) Muhammad Ali’s "National Diary for 1968," 368 pages plus Memoranda pages, 8" x 12.5". Over 1800 words in Muhammad Ali’s hand including "This Book belongs to Muhammad Ali" on the title page and "Book written on Muhammad Ali $6.00" on March 13th page. Only three sheets (Jan 23-24, Sept 17-18, Dec 10-11) are missing, as are some pages at the end titled with names of months and "Memoranda." Many sheets are loose. Writing on over 180 pages, including other writing, possibly by his wife Belinda Ali.
On June 20, 1967, Muhammad Ali was convicted for refusing to report for induction into the U.S. military during the Vietnam War, denying his conscientious objector exemption. He was given a five-year prison sentence and a $10,000 fine. He would also be stripped of his passport and his heavyweight title, and was banned from fighting in the United States. Since he could no longer fight, he earned money through a series of speaking engagements on college campuses. On June 28, 1971, in Clay v. United States, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously reversed the lower court’s decision.
Bolded are just a few highlights in Muhammad Ali’s hand (spelling uncorrected):
"Paid $1200. for Paris France newspaper Story on fight with Joe Frazier & Buster Mathes" (Feb 26). "Esard Charles is dieing. have something for him, try to be there, I have OKed it" ( Sept 15). Former World Heavyweight Champion Ezzard Charles had just been diagnosed as suffering from lateral sclerosis. "E. Charles … Dinner in his honor. try to be there. in Chicago place not known yet" (Oct 27) A benefit dinner for Ezzard Charles was held on November 13, 1968; it was attended by six World Champions including Ali, Rocky Marciano, Henry Armstrong, and Archie Moore. Ezzard Charles died of ALS - Lou Gehrig's Disease - in 1975 at the age of 53.
"$500 for watching the Jack Johnson Play in N.Y. N.Y. Payed by Time Magazine" (Oct 11) "The Great White Hope" starring James Earl Jones as Jack Jefferson – a fictionalized story based on boxer Jack Johnson – had opened on Broadway October 3rd. From PBS.org: "In the summer of 1968 heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali came to see the play … The play affected Ali deeply. ‘That's my story,’ he told Jones backstage after the performance. ‘You take out the issue of white women and replace it with the issue of religion. That's my story!’ Ali's cornerman, Drew 'Bundini' Brown, used the boxer's affinity for Johnson to encourage him in the ring. During several of Ali's major fights, Bundini was heard to call from the corner, 'Ghost in the house! Ghost in the house! Jack Johnson's here! Ghost in the house!'"
"Book written on Muhammad Ali $6.00 Diary $3.75¢ Pictures of Jesus and Marry $2.08¢ Book on pictorial History of the Negro in America $6.19¢" (Mar 13). "on T.V. with Howard Cocell sport show at 6 oclock and 11 oclock" (Apr 2)
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated on April 4, 1968. Ali cancelled all five speaking engagements scheduled for college campuses for the next week:
April 5 "Univ Kentucky May go Speaking." [previous crossed out and adding]: "Canselled"
April 6 & 7 are blank pages.
April 8 "Canselled" "Colgate Collage $800.00 plus exp plus per cent of the profit over $200.00" [previous crossed ou]
April 10 "May be in Pittsburg PA with Min Robert X Pitt Univ"[previous crossed out and adding] "Canselled"
April 11 "May be in Pittsburg PA with Min Robert X Dusquene Univ"[previous crossed out and adding] "Canselled"
April 12 "May be in Pittsburg PA with Min Robert X Carnegie Univ" "Canselled" Robert X was theNation of Islam Minister of the Pittsburgh mosque.

IN AN UNKNOWN HAND: "Be at Honorable Elijah Muhammad’s house at 12:00 This is a command Performance you must be there leave home at 11:30 A.M. Mr. Chauncey Eskridge your lawyer will meet you there." (Sun. June 9) In 1971, Eskridge successfully argued Ali’s 1967 conviction in Clay v. United States before the U.S. Supreme Court.
"Call A.D. King and Check on the Lou Ky Speech." Louisville, Kentucky speech. A.D. King was the younger brother of Martin Luther King, Jr. (May 6)
"Orp Bread Basket in Chi with Rev Jackson on south park 46 Streets at 9 oclock" (Jul 13) Rev. Jesse Jackson was the head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s Chicago chapter of Operation Bread Basket, an organization dedicated to improving the economic conditions of Black communities across America.
"Morgen State Collage For $200.00 No Tax at 11 oclock in the morning and then to Muhammad’s Mosque in New Haven that Night at 8 oclock PM Driving there from Baltmore." (Mar 4)
"Visited Mosque in Atlantic City N.J. in the Morning about 12 oclock taught 40. Then that Night preaching in Harrisburg PA at 5 oclock For free, at a Christian Church – gave all money to Mosque There. Taught 670" (Mar 9)
"Call Minister Lonnie Shabazz about the bazzar in Wash D.C.. Be at Big Meeting at Boston. Send Mother $100.00 out of MIT Univ money" (Apr 20)
"Be in Atlanta Ga. With Herbert Muhammad for to Give Martin Luther Kings Wife a picture of him." [previous crossed out and adding] "Canselde" (Apr 21)
"Check on King picture in Atlanta or go $105.00 Spent on Round trip ticket to Atlanta for King picture" (May 5)
"San Frisco Rally at Civic Center $750.00 tax due" (Apr 27) Peace March & Rally
"Kansas City Muslim Concert With Broth Nathaniel Muhammad" (May 28) A son of the leader of the Nation of Islam Elijah Muhammad, Nathaniel Muhammad was the Nation of Islam Minister of the Kansas City Mosque.
"German T.V. Comming for T.V. Special on My Life" (Jun 6)
"Marcus Garvey’s Birthday. Call Wayne Watson Director Black students of Northwestern University Evanston Ill he wants me to teach to the people about the Messenger" (Aug 17)
"Core meeting" (Sep 28) Ali had spoken at the Annual Convention of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) in 1967.

Tuesday, November 5, 1968 was Election Day. As a result of the Voters Rights Act of 1965, which empowered the Attorney General to direct the Civil Rights Commission to assign federal registrars to enroll voters, in Mississippi, voter registrants increased from 28,500 in 1964 to 251,00 in 1968. In 1968, Mississippi had a total of 29 Black elected officials. Muhammad Ali went to Mississippi just days before the election, no doubt to urge registered Black voters to vote. Noted by Ali on Thursday through Sunday, October 31, November 1, November 2, and November 3, 1968: "in Mississippi"
"be in NY for story in Sport Ill" (Nov 4). "payed from Sports Illustrated $5000.00 tax due" (Nov 7)
PSA/DNA Letter of Authenticity.<

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