| Cassius Marcellus Clay , Sr. | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 11, 1912 Jefferson County, Kentucky, U.S.A. |
| Died | February 8, 1990 (aged 77) Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.A. |
| Occupation | Painter, musician |
| Spouse | Odessa Grady Clay (1917–1994) |
| Children | Rahman Ali (b. 1943) Muhammad Ali (b. 1942) |
| Parents | Herman H. Clay Edith E. Greathouse |
Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr. (November 11, 1912 – February 8, 1990) was the father of American three-time World Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali and Rudolph Valentino Clay, who is now named Rahman Ali, and also was the grandfather of Muhammad's daughter Laila Ali. He married Odessa Grady Clay in the 1930s and worked as a painter and a musician. He was described as "a handsome, mercurial, noisy, combative failed dreamer"[1] and a "hard-drinking, skirt-chasing dandy of a daddy".[2] His son, Muhammad Ali, described him as "the fanciest dancer in Louisville."[3]
Contents |
Clay was born in Jefferson County, Kentucky, the son of Herman H. Clay (March, 1876 – February 1, 1954) and Edith E. Greathouse (December, 1890 – December 30, 1971[4]). He had a sister and four brothers, including Nathaniel Clay.[5][6] His paternal grandparents were John Clay and Sallie Anne Clay. Cassius Clay, Sr., probably had English ancestry because, according to the Clay ancestry, Muhammad Ali's 9th great-grandfather, Francis Taliaferro, was born in London, England. Taliaferro emigrated to the United States in the 17th century.
Clay, Sr., painted billboards and signs.[7] He also played the piano. He was always interested in music, received piano lessons, and wrote music. He was named after the 19th-century abolitionist and Republican politician Cassius Marcellus Clay, and his ancestors worked as slaves on the Clay plantation.[7] Around 1933 he married Odessa Grady.[8]
He was a heavy drinker, which led to several legal encounters for reckless driving, disorderly conduct, and assault and battery.[9] When asked in 1970 why he had not joined the Muslims as his son had, he said: "my religion is my talent, that which supports me."[10]
Clay died on February 8, 1990 after suffering a heart attack while leaving a department store in Jefferson County, Kentucky. He was 77 years old.[6]
Clay, Sr., was portrayed by Arthur Adams in the 1977 film, The Greatest and by Giancarlo Esposito in the 2001 Oscar-nominated film Ali.[11]
|
||||||||||||||||