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Muhammad Ali: A Rare Glimpse Into the Life of The Champ
March 11, 2019 - May 3, 2019
Free
Gallery Show highlights “The Greatest,” Images of Muhammad Ali from Courier-Journal Photojournalists
GALLERY HOURS
Monday – Wednesday: 9:00 – 9:00
Thursday – Friday: 9:00 – 5:00
Sunday: 1:00 – 9:00
Jody Richards Hall
1665 Normal Dr.
WKU Campus, Bowling Green, KY
More than a dozen staff photographers for the Courier Journal documented Muhammad Ali’s rise to fame and his later years fighting a different fight, Parkinson’s Disease. Celebrated as one of the greatest boxers of all time, Ali (born Cassius Clay), was also an activist and a philanthropist. But it was his heavyweight career that made him one of the most famous sports figures of the 20th century. Ali remains the only three-time champion of that division.
Cassius Clay was born in Louisville in 1942, and it would be his home for his entire life, his funeral procession rivaled royalty. He was dedicated to Louisville and Louisville was dedicated to him. This gave the staff at the Courier Journal special access to the boxer during high times as well as later in life when his feeble body still resonated the spirit of The Greatest. Photojournalists like Bill Luster, C. Thomas Hardin, Larry Spitzer and Keith Williams were there to capture it all.
“No matter what stage he was on, how big it was, if there was someone from Louisville there, he’d always recognize you,” said former Courier Journal columnist Billy Reed.
On March 11th Western Kentucky University and the School of Journalism & Broadcasting will open a tribute to the photographs and photographers of Muhammad Ali. Picture: Muhammad Ali, a hard cover book will be celebrated in a 50-photo exhibit at Jody Richards Hall.
A reception at the JRH Gallery will open the exhibition at 4:30 pm CST, and comments from PSG Book Publisher Warren Winter will commence at 5 pm. There will be a roundtable in the JRH Auditorium at 6 pm, moderated by book editor Pat McDonogh featuring Courier Journal photojournalists Keith Williams, C. Thomas Hardin, Bill Luster and Sam Upshaw, Jr. All will be available for a book signing of Picture: Muhammad Ali. A portion of the sales will go towards a scholarship fund for WKU Photojournalism students.
The exhibition and roundtable are free and open to the public. Click here for more information about the book.
For more information contact Tim Broekema at tim.broekema@wku.edu or call 270-745-3005.