Parks x Ali

More about the book

In 1966, Life magazine assigned renowned photographer Gordon Parks to cover Muhammad Ali, the young boxing champion. Four years later, they reunited for another feature story, capturing a pivotal moment in Ali's career as he faced backlash for his antiwar and black separatist views. This period also marked a transition for Parks, who was expanding his work beyond photojournalism into authorship, filmmaking, and music. Despite their differences, Parks and Ali shared mutual respect, both confronting prejudice and advocating for social justice and civil rights. They recognized the media's power to influence public perception, and Parks used his platform at Life to present a nuanced portrayal of the controversial athlete. Through Parks's lens, readers encountered a multifaceted Ali—an athlete, private individual, political figure, and cultural icon—standing at a crucial juncture in his evolution. This exhibition, organized with The Gordon Parks Foundation, showcases around 55 photographs, many previously unpublished, capturing this significant chapter in Ali's life as he navigated challenges inside and outside the ring. Accompanying the exhibition is a publication featuring contributions from notable figures, including essays by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Gerald Early.