One-Hour Radio Special to be Released April 12 – the Beginning of Ramadan – With Public Radio Distribution from PRX
There may be no other athlete (or individual) on the world’s stage whose life has been as heavily documented as Muhammad Ali’s. Yet for all the ways the legendary athlete and humanitarian’s life has been scrutinized and celebrated, few have attempted to tell the story of what he valued most: his spiritual evolution. Until now…
From America Abroad Media and the Muhammad Ali Center, “The Universal Title” is an exploration of Muhammad Ali’s spiritual journey from Christianity to Islam, his journey within Islam, and what really made him “The Greatest.” A one-hour audio special of “The Universal Title” will be offered to public radio stations across the U.S. beginning April 12, the beginning of Ramadan, and the first episode of the six-episode podcast will be released April 16. The broadcast and podcast include sound design and post-production by PRX Productions––public media organization PRX’s team specializing in high-quality storytelling––and radio distribution is also by PRX.
“The Universal Title” will be narrated by Preacher Moss, who is widely known as an all-star comedian, educator, “Allah Made Funny” comedy tour founder, and a “poor righteous teacher” from his days as a veteran performer coming up in the comedy industry and college lecture circuit. He’s respected for his work across many levels of stand-up, activism, and community empowerment, along with his success as a writer for Hollywood heavyweights like Damon Wayans, George Lopez, and Darrell Hammond on Saturday Night Live.
The series covers Ali’s early childhood in the 1940s to his widely viewed memorial service and Janazah during Ramadan of 2016. Interviews feature Ilyasah Shabazz, Lonnie Ali, Maryum and Hana Ali, Imam Zaid Shakir, and many others.
Laura Douglas, Interim President and CEO of the Muhammad Ali Center said, “We are thrilled that the story of Muhammad’s spiritual journey will be told so that people can better understand how Muhammad’s religion helped shape his worldview, giving him the inner strength to fight in and outside of the ring. Spirituality is one of Muhammad’s Six Core Principles that we highlight in our visitor experience, and ‘The Universal Title’ will be another way for us to share Muhammad’s legacy on a broader scale. We are grateful for our partners’ research, commitment, and passion for this project.”
America Abroad Media founder and President Aaron Lobel said, “We are honored to be partnering with the Muhammad Ali Center to produce this important series. “Muhammad Ali’s life is often told with the religious dimension airbrushed out of the story, and that’s unfortunate because his journey is an uplifting story of spiritual growth as well as a quintessentially American story that celebrates religious pluralism.”
To listen to “The Universal Title”, visit theuniversaltitle.com or contact your local public radio station.