Return of the King: The Rebirth of Muhammad Ali and the Rise of Atlanta

In this stirring chronicle, Valdosta State University history professor Aiello (White Ice) recounts Muhammad Ali’s return to boxing in 1970 and the rise of Black power in Atlanta. Ali had become a “global celebrity” after winning the heavyweight championship in 1964, Aiello explains, but after becoming an outspoken critic of the Vietnam War and a conscientious objector, he was convicted of draft evasion and stripped of his boxing titles. His stand against the draft angered a large part of his fan base, but it also ignited activism in sports, Aiello writes, “giving a kind of permission to Black athletes who wanted to use their platforms for social justice.” Ali was exiled from boxing for more than three years before Leroy Johnson, Georgia’s first Black state senator since Reconstruction, used his influence to get Ali back in the ring in Atlanta, where he would fight Jerry Quarry, the top heavyweight contender and a critic of Ali’s politics. Ali’s return spurred pushback and death threats, but a large swath of Black celebrities and residents showed up in support, and Ali defeated Quarry after three brutal rounds. “Black Atlanta had resurrected Ali,” Aiello writes. His captivating and deeply researched account seamlessly weaves together the politics of race and sports. This is a knockout. (Dec.)