Odessa Grady Clay
Encyclopedia
Odessa Lee Clay (February 12, 1917 – August 20, 1994) was the mother of three-time World Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali
and Rudolph Valentino Clay, now Rahman Ali
and grandmother of Laila Ali
. She married Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr.
in the 1930s and worked for some time as a household domestic
to help support her young children.
, one of six children of John Lewis Grady and Birdie B. Morehead. Her paternal grandfather was a white Irishman
named Abe Grady, who emigrated to the United States
from Ennis
, County Clare
, Ireland
, soon after the Civil War
and married a daughter of Lewis and Amanda J. "Mandy" Walker of Todd County, Kentucky. Her maternal grandfather, Tom Morehead, was the son of a white Morehead and a slave named Dinah. Morehead served in the 122nd USCT.
Odessa Clay grew up in a segregated society
in which African Americans were denied many of the rights and privileges of white Americans. African Americans faced discrimination in finding jobs. Clay's parents separated when she was young, and her mother worked as a domestic, taking care of the household chores and the young children of a white family. Clay was raised partly by her aunt. When she became an adolescent, she dropped out of school and also found work as a domestic. Then, when she was sixteen years old, she met twenty-year-old Cassius, whom everyone referred to as "Cash". They soon married and settled into their own house in Louisville, Kentucky
. The Clays' marriage was troubled. Ali told boxing promoters, "She's afraid of him".
belief, Clay had a great influence on the life and spiritual upbringing of both of her sons. Muhammad Ali later said, "My mother is a Baptist
, and when I was growing up, she taught me all she knew about God. Every Sunday, she dressed me up, took me and my brother to church, and taught us the way she thought was right. She taught us to love people and treat everybody with kindness. She taught us it was wrong to be prejudiced or hate. I've changed my religion and some of my beliefs since then, but her God is still God; I just call him by a different name. And my mother, I'll tell you what I've told people for a long time. She's a sweet, fat, wonderful woman, who loves to cook, eat, make clothes, and be with family. She doesn't drink, smoke, meddle in other people's business, or bother anyone, and there's no one who's been better to me my whole life."
Clay supported and inspired her son throughout his boxing career. At small gyms early in her son's career and later at international arenas when he became world famous, Clay traveled with her son and was a ring-side regular at his bouts. Muhammad Ali was much closer to his mother, whom he lovingly called "Bird", than to his father. After discovering boxing, it was his mother with whom he shared his dreams of greatness.
area. She had been disabled by a stroke since February 1994, according to a family friend.
Odessa Clay appeared as herself in the film documentaries Muhammad Ali: The Whole Story (1996) and When We Were Kings
(1996). In the 1977 film The Greatest Odessa Clay was portrayed by Dorothy Meyer, and in the 2001 film Ali
she was portrayed by Candy Ann Brown.
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
and Rudolph Valentino Clay, now Rahman Ali
Rahman Ali
Rahman Ali was born as Rudolph Valentino Clay and was known as Rudy Clay. Rahman Ali was a heavyweight boxer.-Biography:...
and grandmother of Laila Ali
Laila Ali
Laila Amaria Ali is a retired American professional boxer. She is the daughter of boxing legend Muhammad Ali from his third wife Veronica Porsche Ali.-Boxing career:...
. She married Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr.
Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr.
Cassius Marcellus Clay, Sr. was the father of American three-time World Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali and Rudolph Valentino Clay, who is now named Rahman Ali, and also was the grandfather of Muhammad's daughter Laila Ali. He married Odessa Grady Clay in the 1930s and worked as a painter and a...
in the 1930s and worked for some time as a household domestic
Domestic worker
A domestic worker is a man, woman or child who works within the employer's household. Domestic workers perform a variety of household services for an individual or a family, from providing care for children and elderly dependents to cleaning and household maintenance, known as housekeeping...
to help support her young children.
Early life
She was born in Hopkins County, KentuckyHopkins County, Kentucky
Hopkins County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1807. As of 2000, the population was 46,519. Its county seat is Madisonville. The county is named for General Samuel Hopkins, an officer in both the Revolutionary War and War of 1812, and later a Kentucky legislator...
, one of six children of John Lewis Grady and Birdie B. Morehead. Her paternal grandfather was a white Irishman
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
named Abe Grady, who emigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
from Ennis
Ennis
Ennis is the county town of Clare in Ireland. Situated on the River Fergus, it lies north of Limerick and south of Galway. Its name is a shortening of the original ....
, County Clare
County Clare
-History:There was a Neolithic civilisation in the Clare area — the name of the peoples is unknown, but the Prehistoric peoples left evidence behind in the form of ancient dolmen; single-chamber megalithic tombs, usually consisting of three or more upright stones...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, soon after the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and married a daughter of Lewis and Amanda J. "Mandy" Walker of Todd County, Kentucky. Her maternal grandfather, Tom Morehead, was the son of a white Morehead and a slave named Dinah. Morehead served in the 122nd USCT.
Odessa Clay grew up in a segregated society
Racial segregation in the United States
Racial segregation in the United States, as a general term, included the racial segregation or hypersegregation of facilities, services, and opportunities such as housing, medical care, education, employment, and transportation along racial lines...
in which African Americans were denied many of the rights and privileges of white Americans. African Americans faced discrimination in finding jobs. Clay's parents separated when she was young, and her mother worked as a domestic, taking care of the household chores and the young children of a white family. Clay was raised partly by her aunt. When she became an adolescent, she dropped out of school and also found work as a domestic. Then, when she was sixteen years old, she met twenty-year-old Cassius, whom everyone referred to as "Cash". They soon married and settled into their own house in Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. The Clays' marriage was troubled. Ali told boxing promoters, "She's afraid of him".
Influence on Muhammad Ali
Through her strong ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
belief, Clay had a great influence on the life and spiritual upbringing of both of her sons. Muhammad Ali later said, "My mother is a Baptist
National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.
The National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. is the largest predominantly African-American Christian denomination in the United States and is the world's second largest Baptist denomination...
, and when I was growing up, she taught me all she knew about God. Every Sunday, she dressed me up, took me and my brother to church, and taught us the way she thought was right. She taught us to love people and treat everybody with kindness. She taught us it was wrong to be prejudiced or hate. I've changed my religion and some of my beliefs since then, but her God is still God; I just call him by a different name. And my mother, I'll tell you what I've told people for a long time. She's a sweet, fat, wonderful woman, who loves to cook, eat, make clothes, and be with family. She doesn't drink, smoke, meddle in other people's business, or bother anyone, and there's no one who's been better to me my whole life."
Clay supported and inspired her son throughout his boxing career. At small gyms early in her son's career and later at international arenas when he became world famous, Clay traveled with her son and was a ring-side regular at his bouts. Muhammad Ali was much closer to his mother, whom he lovingly called "Bird", than to his father. After discovering boxing, it was his mother with whom he shared his dreams of greatness.
Final years
Clay's husband died in 1990. Odessa Clay died of heart failure on August 18, 1994 at Hurstbourne Health Center, a nursing home in the Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
area. She had been disabled by a stroke since February 1994, according to a family friend.
Odessa Clay appeared as herself in the film documentaries Muhammad Ali: The Whole Story (1996) and When We Were Kings
When We Were Kings
When We Were Kings is a 1996 documentary film directed by Leon Gast about the famous Rumble in the Jungle heavyweight championship match between Muhammad Ali and George Foreman. The fight was held in Zaire on October 30, 1974.The film features a number of celebrities, including James Brown, Jim...
(1996). In the 1977 film The Greatest Odessa Clay was portrayed by Dorothy Meyer, and in the 2001 film Ali
Ali (film)
Ali is a 2001 American biographical film directed by Michael Mann. The film tells the story of boxing icon Muhammad Ali, played by Will Smith, from 1964 to 1974 featuring his capture as of the heavyweight title from Sonny Liston , his conversion to Islam, criticism of the Vietnam War, banishment...
she was portrayed by Candy Ann Brown.
External links
- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0165555/Odessa Clay on the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
] - Obituary of Odessa Grady Clay
- Muhammad Ali's Irish ancestry