It was the 70s, a politically charged time all around the world, and the two superstars represented two very different positions in the fight for civil rights. On one side was Ali, a vocal advocate for black pride and equality, who was considered by many a civil rights icon. On the other side was Pelé, who has been heavily criticized by many Afro-Brazilians for what they considered his apolitical stance on social issues that touched on race, class and Brazil’s military dicatatorship. * * While Ali was a symbol of African-American pride during the civil rights movements in the 1960s and 1970s, Pelé has denied that racial problems even exist in Brazil. Pelé became a symbol of the Brazilian myth of racial democracy by declaring repeatedly that all Brazilians were treated the same, even as evidence showed that deeply rooted inequalities held many Afro-Brazilians back. * * Ali screamed that he was the king for a reason. He was not only the world’s greatest boxer but he was a champion in the fight for equality and against racism. Pelé is also a king but because he chose to stay silent on the biggest debates of his time, his reign will always be limited to the four corners of the soccer pitch. * * 'Muhammad Ali and Pelé: Two Black Icons, Two Different Visions of Racial Politics' by Remezcla (2016) * *
#muhammadali #ali #pele #thegreatest #goat #kings #champions #democracia #racial #myth #blackpower #blackpride #blackliberation #blackinbrazil #blackinamerica #blackunity 
