By Josie Simpson

Muhammad Ali once said, “I should be a postage stamp, because that’s the only way I’ll ever get licked.”

And now he is.    

On Jan. 15, USPS honored Ali with “The Greatest” postage stamp at a first-day-of-issue ceremony in Louisville, Kentucky.   

The ceremony took place at Angel’s Envy Bourbon Club in L&N Credit Union Stadium, just five miles from where Ali was raised on Grand Avenue.   

The event included speakers Lonnie Ali, Costas, photographer Neil Leifer, U of L President Gerry Bradley, Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg and former mayor Greg Fischer. Gov. Andy Beshear, Sen. Mitch McConnell and Rep. Morgan McGarvey all sent in videos tributing Ali.   

The stamp was issued nearly 10 years after Ali died of Parkinson’s disease in 2016. Saturday, Jan. 17, would have been the champ’s 84th birthday.

A great design for a great man

While there were no particular instances from Ali’s life that Antonio Alcalá, art director of the stamp, drew inspiration from, he explained that he has been a fan of Ali since childhood.

“I still have the newspaper from my hometown when Ali beat George Foreman in 1974 to regain the heavyweight title,” he said.  

Though Alcalá is a long-standing artist for USPS stamps, Ali was more of a challenge to capture. He explained that it was not realistically possible to include every aspect of his life and career on a stamp.  

However, Alcalá felt that an image of Ali in a business suit best represented the champ.

Alcalá hoped the stamp would be visually compelling not only for artistic reasons, but also as a way to encourage people to remember what made Ali so legendary.

“It helps suggest that, along with being a great athlete, he dedicated much of his life to helping others,” said Alcalá.   

A global icon and a local legend

Lonnie Ali, wife and homegrown Louisvillian, said the stamp’s design was a great representation of her late husband.. 

“When I look at the stamp, I see Muhammad’s courage, his conviction and sense of purpose,” she said.   

She saw Ali as a principled man who carried himself with confidence. 

This stamp was especially important to Lonnie Ali because people encounter stamps almost every day, making it “not only ordinary, but extraordinary.”    

Lonnie Ali hopes younger generations will learn from and reflect Ali’s leadership.  

Ali was someone who knew how important symbols were, because of this, Lonnie Ali believes he would be deeply honored that the stamp showcased his enduring legacy.

“Muhammad is well known across the globe, but he continued to see Louisville as his home,” she said.

Louisville has reciprocated this love from Ali. Lonnie Ali mentioned how meaningful it was to see the banners along Muhammad Ali Boulevard, his voice opening U of L athletic events and his name on the city’s airport.    

She feels that Louisville shares her pride in Ali. She, and the city, know that he is not just a boxing legend, but a representation of dignity, perseverance and purpose. 

Photo Courtesy / USPS