Muhammad Ali

(crowd cheering) -

Keith

Though Elijah Muhammad had always condemned sports as frivolous entertainment, he now ordered the editor of the Nation of Islam's newspaper "Mohammed Speaks" to add four additional pages dedicated to the new champion. Suddenly Elijah Muhammad has to think about this guy a little differently, because had he lost to Sonny Liston as everyone expected, Elijah Muhammad could have brushed him under the rug, but now he's the heavyweight champion of the world, and suddenly Elijah Muhammad realizes that this could be an asset. This could help him with recruiting, that maybe he shouldn't be so fast to dismiss this kid. -

Keith

On March 1st, Cassius Clay drove to New York, where he checked into the Hotel Theresa in Harlem and reunited with Malcolm X, the Muslim minister who had become his spiritual advisor and close friend. Elijah Muhammad had suspended Malcolm from the Nation of Islam, and with little chance of being reinstated, he had quietly begun making plans to form his own movement, one that he hoped would include Cassius Clay. That evening, the two men joined a crowd of 500 people at the Trans-Lux Theatre in midtown for a screening of Clay's fight with Liston. In the morning, Malcolm took Cassius to the offices of the "Amsterdam News," where the boxer told reporters that he had renounced the name Clay, which the Nation of Islam considered a slave name, and would now go by Cassius X. Here's my (indistinct). -

Keith

On March 5th, they visited the United Nations. "I'm champion of the whole world," Cassius told delegates from Africa and Asia, who eagerly offered to host him in their countries. The boxer also announced that he intended to move to New York. Right, yes, I'm scoutin' now, and some, some home on the outskirts of town I'll soon be pickin'. Is this the reason for this particular trip to New York? Well, yes, I have enterprise set up here. I'm incorporated now, and have a lot of business to tend to, and like I say, this is the center of the world, a whole lot is going on here. -

Keith

In Chicago, Elijah Muhammad fumed. He ordered Clay to stop seeing Malcolm immediately. The next day, Elijah Muhammad made a move intended to secure the boxer's allegiance, and permanently marginalized Malcolm X. "This Clay name has no divine meaning," he declared in a radio address. "I hope he will accept being called by another name. Muhammad Ali is what I will give to him, as long as he believes in our law and follows me." For Elijah Muhammad, it was a brilliant stroke because it pulled Muhammad Ali toward Elijah Muhammad at a time when he could have gone either way, he could have gone toward Malcolm. He could have split from the Nation of Islam, but Elijah Muhammad, by granting Ali this honor, this special name, was saying, "You're my son. You are special to me." And that cemented their bond. -

Keith

Meanwhile, Malcolm tried repeatedly to reach the boxer by phone at the Hotel Theresa, but each call was answered by one of Elijah Muhammad's men. They refused to let Malcolm speak to his friend. Why do you insist on being called Muhammad Ali now? 'Cause that's the name given to me by my leading teacher, the honorable Elijah Muhammad. That's my original name. That's a black man name. Cassius Clay was my slave name. I'm no longer a slave. -

Reporter

What does it mean? Muhammad means worthy of all praises, and Ali means most high. -

Reporter

Do you intend to fight under that name? Yes, sir. I want to be called by that name. I write autographs in that name. I want to be known all over the world as that name, especially throughout Asia and Africa, because that's the names of our people over home.