Ali in the North East
Muhammad's 1977 trip to the North East is well known. He was originally invited over by Johnny Walker for charity work which included a visit to the Grainger Boxing Club, and Pendower Special School. Muhammad also established a friendship with Geordie, Russ Routledge during the visit. The trip was famous for the Islamic wedding blessing which took place at the Al-Azhar Mosque in South Shields. Have a read about the various parts of Ali's visit in the pages below and enjoy the fabulous interview with BAFTA nominated director and Reader at Newcastle University,, Tina Gharavi.
The King of South Shields: A Conversation with Tina Gharavi
The King of South Shields is an experimental documentary looking at the day that Muhammad Ali came to Tyneside in 1977 and the effect that this event had on the young Yemeni-British men who attended the Mosque. The film examines the emerging Arab/British identity and briefly introduces the historic community of Yemeni South Shields sailors. It was a pleasure to speak with the film's director Tina Gharavi about her love of Muhammad Ali, and the fabulous documentary which explored his visit to the North East. Read more and listen to the interview here.
