Stuck in Zaire, Ali stays busywinning The People to his side. Foreman remains sullen and sequestered. Don King keeps the hype going as the festival is ramping up, and all involved insist: The Rumble in the Jungle will happen. In the meantime, we recount the tragic history of Zaire's decolonization attempts and Pan-Africanism 2.0; the rapid rise and fall of beloved independence leader, Patrice Lumumba, and the role of the CIA and the Western World in all of it. The consequences of this corruption are tangible to the musicians, photographers and festival-makers, who experience first hand, Mobutu's tyrannical grip on his country.

 

LITERARY REFERENCES

“The Greatest, My Own Story”by Muhammad Ali (autobiography)

“By George” by George Foreman (autobiography)

OTHER REFERENCE MATERIALS

AP Archive: Syndicated Press Conference with George Foreman, June 23, 1974 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbJjZHf5xRo)

AP Archive: Syndicated Press Conference with Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, September 20, 1974 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyZ9vHqOh1M)

CIA Archives (Church Committee Report –– on Congo activities and Patrice Lumumba assassination)(https://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/church/reports/ir/pdf/ChurchIR_3A_Congo.pdf)

 

 

 

Stuck in Zaire, Ali stays busy winning The People to his side. Foreman remains sullen and sequestered. Don King keeps the hype going as the festival is ramping up, and all involved insist: The Rumble in the Jungle will happen. In the meantime, we recount the tragic history of Zaire's decolonization attempts and Pan-Africanism 2.0; the rapid rise and fall of beloved independence leader, Patrice Lumumba, and the role of the CIA and the Western World in all of it. The consequences of this corruption are tangible to the musicians, photographers and festival-makers, who experience first hand, Mobutu's tyrannical grip on his country.
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LITERARY REFERENCES
&ldquo;The Greatest, My Own Story&rdquo;by Muhammad Ali (autobiography)
&ldquo;By George&rdquo; by George Foreman (autobiography)
OTHER REFERENCE MATERIALS
AP Archive: Syndicated Press Conference with George Foreman, June 23, 1974 (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbJjZHf5xRo">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbJjZHf5xRo</a>)
AP Archive: Syndicated Press Conference with Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, September 20, 1974 (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyZ9vHqOh1M">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyZ9vHqOh1M</a>)
CIA Archives (Church Committee Report &ndash;&ndash; on Congo activities and Patrice Lumumba assassination)(<a href="https://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/church/reports/ir/pdf/ChurchIR_3A_Congo.pdf">https://www.aarclibrary.org/publib/church/reports/ir/pdf/ChurchIR_3A_Congo.pdf</a>)
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Fall 2024 marks 50 years since both the legendary Rumble in the Jungle fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, and the Zaire’ 74 music festival, headlined by the likes of James Brown, BB King, Miriam Makeba and myriad other stars.



Muhammad Ali’s life bobs and weaves through an era of revolutions and disruptive social change in both the US and Africa. In the lead up to this highly politicized superfight, Ali and many other freedom fighters are forced to confront old truths and build bridges toward understanding while they learn to wield the power of influence and sacrifice. Featuring personal accounts of the monumental effort it took to put on these events, Rumble walks backstage with a staggeringly powerful group of fighters, performers, producers and activists, uplifting the legacy of Black Excellence. 

Fall 2024 marks 50 years since both the legendary Rumble in the Jungle fight between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, and the Zaire’ 74 music festival, headlined by the likes of James Brown, BB King, Miriam Makeba and myriad other stars.
 
Muhammad Ali’s life bobs and weaves through an era of revolutions and disruptive social change in both the US and Africa. In the lead up to this highly politicized superfight, Ali and many other freedom fighters are forced to confront old truths and build bridges toward understanding while they learn to wield the power of influence and sacrifice. Featuring personal accounts of the monumental effort it took to put on these events, Rumble walks backstage with a staggeringly powerful group of fighters, performers, producers and activists, uplifting the legacy of Black Excellence.

Rumble: Ali/Foreman and The Soul of '74

A LIE IN A LEOPARD SKIN HAT

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/b7841bdf-7674-41d6-ba57-b24a001e7f41/transcript

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