#Attica45: Muhammad Ali Recites His Powerful Poem About the Attica Prison Uprising

In 1972, one year after the Attica prison uprising, Muhammad Ali traveled to Ireland to fight Alvin Lewis. While there, he was interviewed by Cathal O’Shannon. Just as pretty as ever, “the Greatest” spoke on his boxing career, the importance of being Black (with a capital B), getting rid of our “slave” names, the Nation of Islam, racism, militarism, the historical oppression of the Irish people, and the ridiculousness of Tarzan and white Angel food cake.

It was an entertaining, insightful and hilarious interview (it can be watched in full here). By far, though, the most powerful moment of the interview came at the end when he recited the following poem.

Watch the clip after this transcript.

For Attica.

Better far from all I see To die fighting to be free What more fitting end could be

Better surely than in some bed Where in broken health I'm lead Lingering until I'm dead

Better than with prayers and pleas Or in the clutch of some disease Wasting slowly by degrees

Better than by heart attack Or some dose of drug I lack

Let me die by being Black.

Better far than I should go Standing here against the foe Is there sweeter death to know

Better than the bloody stain On some highway that I'm lain Torn by flying glass and pain

Better call on death to come Than to die another dumb Muted victim in the slum

Better than of this prison rot If there's any choice I've got Kill me here on the spot

Better for my fight to wage Now while my blood boils with rage Lest it cool with ancient age

Better violent for us to die Than to Uncle Tom and try Making peace just to live a lie

Better now that I say my sooth I'm going to die demanding truth While I'm still akin to youth

Better now than later on Now that fear of death is gone Never mind another dawn

*Machine gun fire*

They opened fire on them But they died telling it like it was

Incarcerated people in 40 prisons in 24 states across the U.S. have initiated a work strike to coincide with the 45th anniversary of the Attica prison uprising, which began Sept. 9, 1971, and lasted four days.

Read more about the labor strike to end prison slavery here.