Muhammad Ali

An autograph diary page in the hand of Muhammad Ali, dated Thursday, April 17th, 1969, documenting arrangements for a confirmed appearance at Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Virginia, during the height of his enforced exile from professional boxing.

• Muhammad Ali (American).
• Facsimile front cover of the original diary and portrait of Ali with his family included in display.
• Framed and mounted.

The page, drawn from Ali’s personal 1969 diary, records in his distinctive hand a series of logistical notes relating to the engagement, including:

• “Crenshaw Gymnasium”
• “Randolph-Macon College / Ashland, Va”
• “Dean Ira L. Andrews” (contact)
• Telephone numbers for both office and residence
• “Hotel Reservation / Hanover House” (circled for emphasis)
• A prominently noted fee of “$1000”

This entry corresponds precisely to Ali’s documented appearance at Randolph-Macon College on April 17, 1969, one of the many speaking engagements he undertook while barred from boxing following his refusal of induction into the U.S. Army. During this period, Ali travelled extensively across American college campuses, delivering speeches that combined Nation of Islam doctrine, political commentary, and his own singular charisma, while simultaneously raising funds for his legal defense.

Contemporary accounts confirm that Ali spoke at Randolph-Macon on this date, addressing students with a characteristically engaging and provocative style. The present page highlights the financial and travel arrangements underpinning his speaking tour.

Such working documents, created in the moment and for immediate use, are exceedingly scarce. Unlike later signed material prepared for collectors, this diary page represents a connection to a verifiable event in one of the most consequential periods of Ali’s life.

The inclusion of the speaking fee is of particular note, reflecting the economic framework through which Ali sustained himself during his years of professional exclusion, as well as the growing demand for his presence on American campuses amid the cultural and political upheavals of the late 1960s.

An exceptional survival: a primary-source document linking Muhammad Ali directly to a documented public appearance during his exile years.