Champions of Civil Rights

Following the death of Muhammad Ali, Radio 4 explores his powerful and often divisive place in the history of Black America, alongside two other black heavyweight boxing champions - Floyd Patterson and Sonny Liston. Acclaimed author Davis Miller tells the story of how their pasts, politics, religions and, most of all, their fights came to be part of the racial politics during the era of civil rights. Producer: Richard Vadon. First broadcast in 2004.