Mrkim Report This Comment
Date: April 14, 2014 11:26AM

Casius Clay and the Beatles, what a strange combination ... or I wonder if this was taken after he'd changed his name

Onyma Report This Comment
Date: April 14, 2014 04:43PM

I got curious and looked it up, it was pretty close but he was still called Cassius Clay when this was taken.

The above photo was taken on February 18, 1964.

The championship fight with Liston was on February 25, 1964.

And Elijah Muhammad announced Clay's new name on March 6, 1964:

"After winning the championship from Liston in 1964, Clay revealed that he was a member of the Nation of Islam (often called the Black Muslims at the time) and the Nation gave Clay the name Cassius X, discarding his surname as a symbol of his ancestors' enslavement, as had been done by other Nation members. On Friday, March 6, 1964, Malcolm X took Clay on a guided tour of the United Nations building (for a second time). Malcolm X announced that Clay would be granted his "X." That same night, Elijah Muhammad recorded a statement over the phone to be played over the radio that Clay would be renamed Muhammad (one who is worthy of praise) Ali (fourth rightly guided caliph)."