{"id":2511,"date":"2016-11-17T12:07:32","date_gmt":"2016-11-17T17:07:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonprobasketball.com\/?p=2511"},"modified":"2016-11-17T12:07:32","modified_gmt":"2016-11-17T17:07:32","slug":"lebron-james-donates-millions-muhammad-ali","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2016\/11\/17\/lebron-james-donates-millions-muhammad-ali\/","title":{"rendered":"LeBron James Donates Millions to Muhammad Ali Exhibit"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the Smithsonian Institute<\/strong> is preparing to honor the legacy of one of the greatest boxers and civil rights activists of the 20th century, LeBron James<\/a><\/strong> donates millions to make sure that the museum’s new Muhammad Ali<\/strong> exhibit will be spectacular.<\/p>\n

LeBron James Donates Millions to Muhammad Ali Exhibit<\/strong><\/h2>\n

James, through the LeBron James Family Foundation<\/strong> and along with his business partner Maverick Carter<\/strong>, has endowed the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African-American History and Culture<\/strong> with $2.5 million earmarked for the new exhibit entitled “Muhammad Ali: A Force For Change<\/strong>.”<\/p>\n

While James is the latest NBA<\/strong> icon to donate to the project, he is not the only. Michael Jordan<\/a><\/strong> has given $5 million. Magic Johnson<\/a><\/strong> and his wife Cookie<\/strong> have also donated $1 million.<\/p>\n

According to a USA Today report<\/a>, the exhibit will\u00a0focus on Ali\u2019s boxing accomplishments and social activism. The relationship between the Smithsonian and Ali goes back to 2012, when a Smithsonian traveling exhibit entitled “IndiVisible: African-Native-American Lives in the Americas” occupied the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Ky. for two months. James had the following to say of Ali:<\/p>\n

“Muhammad Ali is such a cornerstone of me as an athlete because of what he represented not only in the ring as a champion but more outside the ring – what he stood for, what he spoke for, his demeanor –\u00a0I think of him every day. Without his passion and goals and morals, I don\u2019t know if I\u2019d be sitting here today talking to you about it.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The National Museum of African-American History and Culture is located in Washington, D.C. No announcement has been made yet when the new Ali exhibit will be open.<\/p>\n

Main Photo<\/p>\n

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Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/div>\n