When Ali – then known as Cassius Clay – became the new heavyweight champion in 1964, Clay changed his name to Cassius X Clay, and then later to Muhammad Ali upon converting to Islam and affiliating with the Nation of Islam. The leader of Nation of Islam, Elijah Muhammad, was very pleased to hear that Cassius admits he is a Muslim. Elijah took advantage of this situation by writing articles about Ali, making him the voice for the Nation of Islam and Allah, and an example for the people of color. Sport historian, David Wiggins, credits Elijah Muhammad with recognizing the symbolic importance of Ali as a Muslim heavyweight champion and his subsequent orchestration of a ‘a public relations campaign that transformed Ali into the movement’s leading
