Hana Ali remembers one of her father’s main concerns: That people, one day, would forget him. She says he knew at his core he was important, that people loved and admired him. But he always thought they would forget about him, and he loved to be reminded they wouldn’t. She would tell him he was in the newspaper, and he’d ask if he made the front page.
That’s when Muhammad Ali would ask the question: “Do they still remember me?”
“Of course,” Hana would say. “They’ll always remember you.”
Thanks to the efforts of Muhammad Ali Enterprises, that statement rings true. On what would have been his 77th birthday, sisters Hana and Maryum Ali spoke to Uproxx Sports while celebrating their father at the “Muhammad Ali: The Greatest of All Time” exhibit at the Beverly Center in Los Angeles, Cali.
“This is a snapshot of the Muhammad Ali Center,” Maryum says. “The exhibit represents the trajectory of my father’s life. Next to the Ali Center, this is the best exhibit I’ve seen. It shows all aspects of who he was as a man, becoming the fighter he was and his humanitarian efforts.”
The exhibit features more than 100 pieces of unique memorabilia, interactive photo stations, and details of Muhammad Ali’s battles inside and outside of the ring. It also furthers the boxer’s memory and legacy, opening the door and paving the way for many more to follow in his footsteps as vocal activists.
“If anything, it reminds and inspires everyone of his accomplishments in and out of the ring,” Hana says. “He always said there was a responsibility that came with fame. You couldn’t just be famous, use your platform to make positive changes and set an example. He was very cognizant of the responsibilities that came with fame. He used his fame to promote charity, awareness, love and causes. Anyone that follows that path on their own is continuing his legacy. He said he was going to stand up for what he believed in and it’s one of the reasons people love and respect him so much.”
It’s easy to read that quote and think, more in more modern terms, about Colin Kaepernick, who stood up what he believed in no matter what it cost. Kapernick’s protests during the national anthem to highlight racial injustice and police brutality began mere months after Muhammad Ali passed away in 2016, but if he were alive, Hana believes her father would have been proud of the former Niners signal caller for using his platform to speak up for a cause that he believed in.
“(Muhammad Ali) used his platform and compromised his wealth and career to stand up for what he believed in, that is exactly what Mr. Kaepernick did,” Hana says. “I think that’s why people drew similarities and I think he’s very much like him in that way. My father would stand by him and tell him he was doing right because he was following his own beliefs. That’s all that matters. Mr. Kaepernick did what he believed in. My father, I think, would be proud of that.”
That’s why Maryum believes exhibits, such as the current iteration in Los Angeles, are so important. For the next generation, and those after them, to have a voice for themselves, it’s vital to know who came before them and what they stood for.
“Because of the political and social climate we’re dealing with that has some similarities to the time period in which he took stands, there’s a natural need and desire to have this,” Maryum says. “You have this kid from Louisville, Kentucky, who wasn’t rich by any means. They were working poor. You’re not walking into an exhibit about a man who came out of any kind of privilege to reach the heights that he reached. It was all about believing in himself and being bold enough, empowered enough to demand respect. He went through hard times and came out of it. That’s the most relatable connection.”
The “Muhammad Ali: The Greatest of All Time” exhibit runs through Sunday, Feb. 3.
