City of Ali

Ali's passing on June 3, 2016, came in the context of a bitter U.S. presidential election, a proposed Muslim ban, a series of police shootings of unarmed Black men and the global emergence of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Yet on the day of Ali's funeral procession, more than 100,000 people lined the streets of Louisville to celebrate his life. Over a billion people worldwide tuned in to Ali's memorial, held in the packed KFC YUM! Center. Stories of the Louisville Lip's wit, generosity, swagger and commitment to justice were retold by President Bill Clinton, Billy Crystal, Lonnie Ali and many others.