The Champ Comes Back to IU

Muhammad Ali with IU students, 2003.

The Life and Times of Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali, aka "The Greatest," had strong connections to Indiana University and the Bloomington campus. Ali visited Bloomington several times throughout his amazing life. 

In celebration of Ali's life and local connections, the Arts & Humanities Council is partnering with the Islamic Studies Program and the Office of the Vice Provost for Diversity and Inclusion to present The Champ Comes Back to IU, a two-day program featuring poetry readings and a panel discussion on Ali's political, social, and historical impact and what he means to young people today. 

Below are digitized archival materials from 1969 to 2003 documenting some of Ali's interactions with IU and the Bloomington community.

Experience in Blackness Festival, 1970

In February 1970, Ali was invited to IUB to take part in the Experience in Blackness Festival organized by the Union Board. The Union Board archives include a scrapbook of news items from the visit, including several from the Indiana Daily Student.