Cassius Marcellus Clay, 1810 – 1903, the Kentucky abolitionist after whom the future Muhammad Ali was named. He fought off several assassination attempts that resulted from his opposition to slavery.
View Reddit by L0st_in_the_Stars – View Source
View Reddit by L0st_in_the_Stars – View Source
From an article I found about the original Cassius Clay [this subreddit doesn’t allow links]:
Cassius Marcellus Clay was born in Madison County Kentucky on October 19th, 1810, a Kentucky politician and an outspoken abolitionist. Clay’s father, Green Clay, however, was a slave owner. Those slaves were eventually inherited by Cassius Clay and he gave them their freedom allowing any of them who wanted to continue working for him to stay and earn a wage.
Clay was a well-educated man, he attended Transylvania University and graduated from Yale College in 1832. While at Yale his anti-slavery views really took root. He was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives three times and became well known for his work to emancipate slaves. This work didn’t go unnoticed and he made some serious personal and political enemies.
During a political debate in 1843 a man named Sam Brown attempted to assassinate Clay, Brown pulled out a pistol and fired at Clay, the bullet was partially deflected by the Bowie knife Clay carried in a scabbard.
Despite having been shot, Clay took out his knife, wrestled Brown to the ground, cut out his eyes, and threw him into a ditch. Cassius Clay was a colorful character and he didn’t back away from his unpopular stance on slavery despite the danger it brought to him and his family. He started an anti-slavery newspaper in 1845, when he received death threats, he armored the door and brought in cannons to fortify the newspaper office. The office was eventually overrun with armed men and Clay was forced to relocate his printing operation to Cincinnati Ohio.
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Get Clooney on the phone
The boxer was named after an abolitionist and he changed it to match a man who bought and sold black slaves. The ultimate face palm.
Total badass! He Despised slavery
Never heard of this guy before.. now I’ll have to do some research.
He bears a resemblance to George Clooney.
Funny that the boxer later changed his name from that of an abolitionist to that of a pro-slavery warlord.
This guys life story is pretty epic.
On one assassination attempted he got right back, bullets in his body, chased after his would-be killer, and threw him in a canal and killed him.
Another man killed himself after chickening out of a duel with him.
He stormed out of Abe’s Cabinet because he was moving to slowly on abolition…Was sent to Russia as Ambassador to not cause more trouble lol.
Why did Muhammad call Cassius a slave name thenv
The more you know.. wow.. never knew
Who tf cuts out someones eyes???
“His momma call him Cassius Clay, Imma call him Cassius Clay!”
This man deserves a Film made about his Life.
Wow, what a great person to be named after.
I had no idea. How cool!
Cassius Marcellus Clay, the 19th-century Republican politician
To be played by George Clooney in the biopic
Love the shirt collar and necktie.
This photo could be straight out of a Hollywood movie. He reminds me of Gregory Peck.
This guy was like Andrew Jackson’s chaotic good twin.
So that Cassius Clay also beat the fuck out of white guys on a regular basis. History doesn’t repeat, but it does rhyme.
He is such a fascinating man. Lot’s of great stories about his life. His home, White Hall, is a very interesting place. I’ve been there many times. Love hearing the stories.
Why is José Mourinho dressed like he’s about to go travelling on a hot air balloon ?
George Clooneys grandpa
Definitely cool.
I’d have a beer with this man.
We should still have slave’s today
Goodness…. Makes me wonder if Ali ever even research his OWN name.
Because, if I’m gonna have a “Slave name” at least it’s gonna be one who straight killed people on behalf of the slaves like Cassius. (I’m just sayin 🤷🏾♀️)
Interesting. He came through college when Andrew Jackson was President and lived long enough to be around for Teddy Roosevelt. What a remarkable period of history to have lived through.
Nobody else sees Robert Redford?