Muhammad Ali, a three-time heavyweight champion, will be honored for the first time with a commemorative U.S. postage stamp.
Per the Associated Press, Ali, not only known for his speed, grace, and power in the ring, but also his advocacy for racial justice, will be a part of the Postal Service’s Forever Stamp collection.
“As sort of the guardian of his legacy, I’m thrilled. I’m excited. I’m ecstatic,” Lonnie Ali, the champ’s wife of nearly 30 years, told The Associated Press. “Because people, every time they look at that stamp, they will remember him. And he will be in the forefront of their consciousness. And, for me, that’s a thrill.”
Unveiling of the Muhammad Ali Forever Stamp
The unveiling of the Forever Stamp is slated for Thursday in Louisville, Kentucky, birthplace of the famed boxer and home to the Muhammad Ali Center Ali. The stamp will feature a black and white photo of Ali taken by an Associated Press photographer from 1974 during his prime years.
Each sheet of 20 stamps also includes an image of Ali wearing a pinstripe suit, reflecting his life beyond the ring as an activist and humanitarian. The USPS has printed 22 million stamps, which will not be reissued once sold out.
How The Stamp Came To Be
The idea for a Muhammad Ali stamp first originated nearly ten years ago per Lisa Bobb-Semple, the USPS director of stamp services. The guidelines for the USPS require people who appear on stamps to be dead for at least three years, with the exception of presidents.
The suggested honorees must meet criteria in order to be approved by a committee.
As the USPS was working behind the scenes on a stamp, a friend of Ali helped to launch the #GetTheChampAStamp campaign, which sparked public interest in the idea.
“We are really excited that the stars were able to align that allowed us to bring the stamp to fruition,” said Bobb-Semple, who initially had to keep the planned Ali stamp secret until it was official. “It’s one that we’ve always wanted to bring to the market.”
A Social Justice Icon
Ali’s sense of black pride reached a critical point after discovering the Nation of Islam. He insisted on being called “Muhammad Ali” instead of his “slave name,” Cassius Clay. His affiliation with the controversial group, led by Elijah Muhammad and mentored by Malcolm X, made him a prominent, though polarizing, figure during the Civil Rights era, opposing integration and the Vietnam War.
Daring to go against political policy to help people in need, Ali attended goodwill missions in Afghanistan and North Korea; delivered sorely needed medical supplies to an embargoed Cuba; traveled to Iraq and secured the release of 15 United States hostages; and upon Nelson Mandela’s release, journeyed to South Africa on a benevolent mission.