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In 1962, boxing writers and fans considered Cassius Clay an obnoxious self-promoter, and few believed that he would become the heavyweight champion of the world. But Malcolm X, the most famous minister in the Nation of Islam—a sect many white Americans deemed a hate cult—saw the potential in Clay, not just for boxing greatness, but as a means of spreading the Nation’s message. The two became fast friends, keeping their interactions secret from the press for fear of jeopardizing Clay’s career. Clay began living a double life—a patriotic “good Negro” in public, and a radical reformer behind the scenes. Soon, however, their friendship would sour, with disastrous and far-reaching consequences.
Based on previously untapped sources, from Malcolm’s personal papers to FBI records, Blood Brothers is the first book to offer an in-depth portrait of this complex bond. Acclaimed historians Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith reconstruct the worlds that shaped Malcolm and Clay, from the boxing arenas and mosques, to postwar New York and civil rights–era Miami. In an impressively detailed account, they reveal how Malcolm molded Cassius Clay into Muhammad Ali, helping him become an international symbol of black pride and black independence. Yet when Malcolm was barred from the Nation for criticizing the philandering of its leader, Elijah Muhammad, Ali turned his back on Malcolm—a choice that tragically contributed to the latter’s assassination in February 1965.
Malcolm’s death marked the end of a critical phase of the civil rights movement, but the legacy of his friendship with Ali has endured. We inhabit a new era where the roles of entertainer and activist, of sports and politics, are more entwined than ever before. Blood Brothers is the story of how Ali redefined what it means to be a black athlete in America—after Malcolm first enlightened him. An extraordinary narrative of love and deep affection, as well as deceit, betrayal, and violence, this story is a window into the public and private lives of two of our greatest national icons, and the tumultuous period in American history that they helped to shape.
- Sales Rank: #71219 in Books
- Published on: 2016-02-02
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 9.30" h x 1.40" w x 6.20" l, .0 pounds
- Binding: Hardcover
- 392 pages
Review
Wall Street Journal, David Margolick
“[An] absorbing and provocative new book... An engrossing and important book.”
Boston Globe, Allen Barra
“A unique hybrid of race, politics, and sports; it is easy to read yet gives rise to sober reflection. It fills a gap in our understanding of one of the most fascinating relationships in American history.”
New York Times Book Review
“A rigorously researched book that gracefully pivots between the world of the ring and the racial politics of the early ‘60s.”
National Review, James Rosen
“Exhaustively researched and tautly written, Blood Brothers marks a milestone in the biographical literature of Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali, an invaluable addition to our understanding of America in the 1960s. In all it touches—the far-flung but interconnected worlds of race, religion, politics, sports, cities, organized crime, and the news media—this sober and detailed book, a dual biography that alternates between protagonists like a suspense novel, renders profound service. The authors unearth reams of new evidence, shine light on long-overlooked episodes, and hack away at the barnacles of mythology, thereby giving us the finest portrait yet of the doomed relationship that transformed Cassius Clay into Muhammad Ali.”
Washington Post
“Earnest and...smartly constructed.”
Los Angeles Times
“Armed with redacted FBI files and rare archival material, the historians challenge standard accounts of the friendship and use their revision to illuminate the moment when the civil rights era, anti-colonial struggles and the baby boomers' coming of age coalesced to reshape the world in ways that still resonate.... In convincing detail, Blood Brothers traces Ali's rise to international celebrity while Malcolm was stalked and harassed by the ‘Fruit of Islam,’ the paramilitary group that enforced obedience to the church.”
Dallas Morning News
“In the most detailed account to date of this fascinating bond, professors of history Randy Roberts (Purdue) and Johnny Smith (Georgia Tech) unveil a story few Americans know, arguing that Ali and Malcolm were much more than mere acquaintances; their symbiotic relationship, with Ali as pupil and Malcolm as mentor, was deeply important to each man…From beginning to end, Blood Brothers is a story of transformation.”
Washington Times
“[Blood Brothers] is shedding light on the secret friendship between boxing great Muhammad Ali and civil rights leader Malcolm X.”
New York Post
“The authors give us a thorough examination of the relationship between the two icons in the context of the black experience and the turbulent 1960s. White America blamed Malcolm for Cassius Clay’s transformation to Muhammad Ali, but the truth is more complicated, involving the split between Malcolm and the Nation of Islam. We’re brought back to the champ’s early boxing days and see how the brash Ali whom America came to know developed.”
The Times, UK
“Thanks to Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith’s enthralling narrative we now have a better understanding of how a complex relationship was born, and how it fell apart."
Economist’s Prospero blog
“Though their individual lives have been explored through previous books and movies, Blood Brothers: The Fatal Friendship between Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X delves into the close kinship these men shared, and the reasons it ultimately fell apart.”
City Journal
“The broad outlines of the Ali/Malcolm drama are well known, but Roberts and Smith emphasize how crucial each was to the other’s destiny—Ali’s as a global figure of black pride and Malcolm’s as a martyred black visionary. They provide more exhaustive detail than previously available, aided by newly released FBI files and personal papers. And they infuse the tale with sharp insights and an impending sense of tragedy... Blood Brothers reminds us of a time when an heroic image of Ali would have seemed as unlikely as the idea that Cassius Clay could beat Sonny Liston—or that a big-budget Hollywood film would someday venerate the life of Malcolm X.”
Louisville Courier-Journal
“Historians Roberts and Smith have written the first book examining the complex bond between the two men, who met in 1962 as the young Louisville boxer Cassius Clay was making a name for himself.”
Booklist, Starred review
“Roberts and Smith portray both of these courageous and controversial, inspired and inspiring men with fresh, stinging clarity, and extend our perception of the interconnectivity of race, religion, sports, and media during this violent and transformative era, which is so very germane today.”
Library Journal, Starred review
“This book offers a significant contribution to serious studies of Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, and the Nation of Islam.”
Publishers Weekly
“[A] provocative history.... Roberts and Smith map the relationship between the troubled icons in painstaking detail and debunk long-held assumptions about their break.... Roberts and Smith bring a fresh perspective to the story in the civil rights movement, and capture the ferment of the broader era.”
Kirkus Reviews, Starred review
“[Roberts and Smith] sharply detail Malcolm's growing disillusionment with Elijah, his heartbreak at the loss of Ali's allegiance, and the ugly dynamic within the Nation that left the defiant minister murdered. A page-turning tale from the 1960s about politics and sports and two proud, extraordinary men whose legacies endure.”
Gerald Early, Editor of the Muhammad Ali Reader and author of A Level Playing Field: African American Athletes and the Republic of Sports
“Well researched and spritely written, Blood Brothers is, by far, the most complete and detailed account of the friendship between Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X, and how black nationalist politics profoundly changed how black athletes saw big-time sports in America. Blood Brothers fills in important gaps for those who know the story and provides a gripping, informative history for those who do not.”
Howell Raines, former executive editor of the New York Times
“In earlier works, Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith have used their skills as professional historians to pierce the veil of myth, hero worship, and hype that mars so much sports journalism. In this illuminating joint effort, Blood Brothers tells the story of a strange friendship marked by initial affection, cold manipulation, and ultimate estrangement. They show that Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X, so brave and assertive in their public lives, shared another bond stronger than friendship: fear of assassination by their spiritual mentor, Elijah Muhammad.”
Robert Lipsyte, former sports columnist for the New York Times
“There’s brilliant history in this crackling story of two men whose tragic brotherhood changed America. Absorbing and essential reading.”
Aram Goudsouzian, author of Down to the Crossroads: Civil Rights, Black Power, and the Meredith March Against Fear
“Deeply researched and compellingly written, Blood Brothers makes clear that the lives of Muhammad Ali and Malcolm X were intertwined. Each needed the other, and as their relationship careened from tenderness to tragedy, each became a global icon. Their story just pops off the page.”
Douglas Brinkley, author of Rosa Parks
“Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith’s Blood Brothers is a brilliantly conceived narrative linking the dayglo legacies of Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali. At heart, it’s the story of a fast friendship that rocked the Cold War world and forever changed the destiny of African-American history. A towering achievement!”
About the Author
Randy Roberts is a distinguished professor of history at Purdue University. An award-winning author, he has written biographies of iconic athletes and celebrities, including Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Bear Bryant, and John Wayne. Roberts lives in Lafayette, Indiana.
Johnny Smith is an assistant professor of American history at Georgia Tech. He is the author of The Sons of Westwood: John Wooden, UCLA, and the Dynasty that Changed College Basketball. Smith lives in Atlanta, Georgia.
Most helpful customer reviews
20 of 21 people found the following review helpful.
A choice between friendship and brotherhood
By Charlemagne
This book is written from more of a sports perspective than a black revolutionary one. It reads a bit dry, but I still recommend this for the education and information within. One will see many parallels from the civil rights movement to what is going on in the US today with police violence and pro-black movements.
Malcolm X is a long misunderstood figure in the civil rights movement. Many mainstream history books have put him as the "bad" guy next to MLK being the "good" guy. It is much more complex than that. His role in the civil rights movement is an important one to learn about, from his debates with Bayard Rustin to his clashing with the Nation Of Islam over their leadership's hypocrisy and their treatment of women.
Muhammed Ali is now seen in a much gentler way than he was back when he protested the Vietnam war. The book reveals the origins of Ali's turbulent early life and his how he created his boxing persona. His involvement with the Nation Of Islam was kept low key for a long time. In the end, he made a firm choice between his loyalty of NOI and his friendship with Malcolm.
One has to wonder if this friendship could have lasted if fame, money, religion, and ego were not huge factors. Both boxing fans and people wanting to know more about the civil rights era should check this book out.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful.
Fascinating, engaging story about Ali and Malcolm X
By J. Silva
This excellent book paints wonderfully visual word pictures about the relationship between famed -- and now revered -- heavyweight champion Muhammed Ali and Malcolm X, the charismatic "minister" of the Nation of Islam who was assassinated by his former colleagues when he clashed with the NOI leader Elijah Muhammed. Co-authors Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith are eminently qualified to write this book, as both professional historians (Roberts is a professor at Perdue, Smith at Georgia Tech) and experienced biographers of sports figures. Using their powers of research and their connections in the world of sports, Roberts and Smith have done a superlative job of recreating the events surrounding Ali's (then Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr.) rise from the slums of Louisville, KY, to the Olympic Gold Medal in light heavyweight boxing, to the heavyweight boxing world championship, which he won at age 22. Concurrently, the authors trace the life of Malcolm Little from foster care to prison to follower of Elijah Muhammed. When their paths cross, Clay and Malcolm become close friends, with Malcolm's teachings and influence leading to Clay's joining what became known in the popular press as the Black Muslims.
Racism was in the forefront of American politics in the early 1960s, with the main focus of the press on the non-violent efforts toward desegregation led by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The Nation of Islam and Malcolm X, however, had another view of racism -- they believed Elijah Muhammed's teaching that white people were "blue eyed Devils" who would eventually be overthrown by Allah's intervention. Far from wanting integration, they firmly believed in segregating the races.
Having experienced and suffered from racism his whole life, Clay was intrigued and drawn to Malcolm's race beliefs, but was equally drawn to the spiritual aspects of Islam. Early in their relationship, Malcolm saw through Clay's bluster and bravado to the young boxer's shrewdness and, despite his low IQ, his understanding of human nature. Malcolm knew that Clay could be a valuable spokesman for Islam, so used his position of friendship to encourage the young man's confidence and bond with him. He never believed that his disillusionment with Elijah would endanger their close friendship.
Date by date, fight by fight, meeting by meeting, Roberts and Smith hold the reader's attention throughout the few years that Clay and Malcolm were close, until just before Malcolm's spilt with Elijah and his assassination by the "Messenger's" followers.
This riveting and engaging book will hold your interest while providing a wealth of information about the time, the men, their influences, and the significant people in their lives between 1960-65. If you are interested in any or all of those subjects, don't miss this book!
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful.
A fatal relationship
By Connie (She who hikes with dogs)
Randy Roberts and Johnny Smith are historians with a passion for sports. This book embraces both the sport of boxing, the rise and fall and rise again with Cassius Clay turned Muhammad Ali and the relationship Ali had with Malcolm X, Elijah Mohammed. The civil rights movement and the rise of the Nation of Islam are in the background.
The book begins with Ali's victory at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, his interest in Islam after hearing Elijah Mohammed speak, and his rise in the boxing world. While Ali shared a troubled childhood with Malcolm X, both had different philosophies about the struggles of American blacks and their roles in the civil rights movement. Malcolm X is devoted to black supremacy. Ali just wants to win the world heavyweight championship and flaunt his greatness. Elijah Mohammed secretly vents over Malcolm's rise in the Nation of Islam (NoI) but keeps Malcolm X as one of his supreme ministers because his charm and articulation bring in many converts to the NoI. As history has shown, the NoI and the civil rights movement were at odds from the start. They were the more radical of the groups and in opposition to Martin Luther King's more pacifist ways. The FBI conducted surveillance on Malcolm X and later Ali.
The authors write in an engaging manner. By 1963 it's clear that Ali has converted, but tries to hide his affiliation with the NoI from the public. Malcolm X and Ali meet and form a friendship at a time when Malcolm X was already sensing his days with the NoI numbered, after his rather dubious comment when President Kennedy was killed in Dallas. But to me Malcolm's fascination with Ali in early 1964 seemed more as a way to save his future, rather than as a true friendship. Ali was a naive young man and Malcolm knew how to win him over, until Elijah brought Ali back to him and hurt feelings resulted.
There are many detailed boxing scenes in this book, which I breezed through. I was more interested in the political aspect of this story, and the authors delivered. Boxing was one sport that poor African-Americans could excel at, and Ali was both athlete and entertainer in front of the crowds. Ali's self-proclaimed greatness brought boxing back to life and spectators back in front of the television to watch the matches.
There is much I didn't know about Ali other than that he was a ham for the cameras. I didn't know he was an undiagnosed dyslexic. I didn't realize he was a man of mystery and often a man of contradictions. He isn't painted as the most compassionate man, either. He comes off as more of a selfish, bombastic character when compared to Malcolm X, whose personal history I knew more of thanks to Alex Haley's biography of the man, which the authors reveal was often embellished, and which Haley was working on during 1963 and 1964.
The book focuses on the years after the 1960 summer Olympics through the death of Malcolm X in 1965. A lot is covered about the civil rights movement, the growing relationship between Ali and X, and how their actions and reactions were as a result of the rising tensions in the black community under Kennedy and Johnson. While there is boxing in this narrative, this book will appeal more for the history aficionadoes.
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