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Was Cassius Clay a Slave?

Maya Lin-Takahashi • • 5 min read
Was Cassius Clay a Slave?

Start with a towering figure who contributed significantly to the cause of liberation and union, Cassius Marcellus Clay

Cassius Marcellus Clay
Cassius Marcellus Clay was born to Sally Lewis and Green Clay, one of the wealthiest planters and slaveholders in Kentucky, who became a prominent politician. He was one of six children who survived to adulthood, of seven born. Clay was a member of a large and influential political family. His older brother Brutus J.
› Cassius_Marcellus_Clay_(politician)
. Born in 1810, Clay defied his slave-owning and influential Kentucky family when he became an abolitionist during his student days at Yale.

Was Cassius Clay a slave name?

But why, exactly, did he change his name? After publicly joining the Nation of Islam, Ali put it in his own words: "Cassius Clay is a slave name." During a press conference after his historic night, Ali first announced that his name would be Cassius X.

Is Muhammad Ali a slave?

He was a descendant of slaves of the antebellum South, and was predominantly of African descent, with some Irish and English family heritage. Ali's maternal great-grandfather, Abe Grady, emigrated from Ennis, Co. Clare, Ireland.

Maya Lin-Takahashi
Author

Maya Lin-Takahashi

Maya is a hardware enthusiast who tests and reviews smart home devices, smartphones, wearables, and audio gear. She focuses on practical consumer value and build quality.