One aspect of the Ali Center's mission is to preserve the legacy of Muhammad Ali.  To this end, the Center is in the process of establishing its Library & Archives with the purpose being "to acquire, preserve and manage the documentary, photographic, artistic, film, audio, video and electronic record of Muhammad Ali's life and careers as an athlete, humanitarian and public figure."  

Photographs, manuscripts, audio and video recordings, software, books, periodicals and other documents are examples of materials that will be collected in addition to historical records that are currently in the Ali's personal collection.  The Center will also collect a limited number of authenticated, three-dimensional items as they relate to Ali's life and legacy and support our public education efforts.  In addition, we are committed to acquiring publications and other resources that support the educational mission of the Ali Center and its various initiatives.

Upon opening, admittance into the Library & Archives will be by appointment only for research purposes (the collection will be non-circulating).


Interested in donating an item to our Library & Archives?  Click Here


Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Is the Library & Archives open?
A: Not yet.  As part of the vision of the Ali Center, the Library & Archives will serve as an important preservation and educational component that requires a full-time staff member and collections expert to organize and catalog items in both the Ali’s and the Center’s collections.  Upon completion of such a large task, we will open the collections to the public.  The Center will make any announcements concerning the opening on our website.

Q: Could you tell me how much my Ali memorabilia item is worth?
A: Unfortunately, the Muhammad Ali Center does not have the capabilities to officially authenticate or place a value on Ali memorabilia.

Q: Do you purchase items for display in the Ali Center?
A: The Ali Center serves as a place of ideas more so than artifacts.  Therefore, we only have a few items on display in the exhibits.  We are a 501(c)3 non-profit organization.  While we are not currently purchasing items to add to the collection, we welcome donations to our Library & Archives.

Q: I am doing a report/research/school project on Muhammad Ali, could you provide some resources and/or information on the subject?
A: Much of the historical information on Muhammad is included in our exhibits (and therefore, not in a format that is easily distributed).  Future plans call for us to offer some resources online that would be tied to our Library & Archives.  Until then, if you are a student, please click here for a list of references.  If you are doing research for a professional project, please e-mail us your inquiry and we will try to be of assistance.