Boxing legend Muhammad Ali died this weekend at the age of 74. In addition to being an extraordinary athlete — 'The Greatest of All Time' — Ali was also a courageous activist who publicly challenged racism throughout his life. 

Ali was also a friend of People For the American Way. In 1981, PFAW founder Norman Lear and director Jonathan Demme created a series of PSAs to emphasize that the right to freely express opinions was a critical piece of the American way.

The spots end with the tagline: "Freedom of thought. The right to have and express your own opinions. That's the American Way." Ali appeared in two of them, below. We're proud that Muhammad Ali was a part of our organization's history, and we're proud to honor his legacy with our ongoing work to fight bigotry and protect our basic rights.