Journalist Stephen Henderson will lead the conversation discussing the fascinating narrative of Muhammad Ali’s life. Together, Reed and Henderson will explore why we continue to remember and celebrate Ali, and delve into the importance of incorporating other, often unexplored voices, in charting one’s legacy. This special event precedes the upcoming documentary Muhammad Ali, a film by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, & David McMahon, premiering on PBS in September 2021.

Ishmael Reed is a poet, novelist, essayist, playwright, songwriter, lecturer, and publisher. He has won prizes and grants in each category. He is also an illustrator and Jazz pianist. His most recent awards include the Alberto Dubito Award for International Poetry, presented at the Ca’Foscari University in Venice in 2016 and The AUDELCO award for theater presented in 2017. In 2019, he began his 36th year as a professor at The University of California at Berkeley. He also teaches at the California College of the Arts where he is a distinguished professor. His most recent books, published by Baraka Books, are Why No Confederate Statues in Mexico (2019), The Terrible Fours (2021), and the Forthcoming Bigotry on Broadway.