H istorical d ocument

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Profiles in History
   
Historical Document Auction 63
7. Ali, Muhammad. (47) Rare and historic handwritten (8 x 5 in.; 203 x 127 mm.) lined speech index cards (unsigned) from 3-time 
boxing heavyweight champion. Handwritten in black ink (with some punctuation added in blue ink) from the late 1960s when Ali was 
speaking at schools and colleges during his ban from professional boxing. Most cards have a sequential number written or written and 
circled in the upper right hand corner. Exhibiting wear from age and handling. Bumped corners. In good legible condition.
Incredible set of (47) handwritten speech note cards by Muhammad Ali – his master presentation of the teachings of 
Elijah Muhammad for his lecture tour of schools and colleges in the late 1960s when he was barred from boxing.
Ali has written in part (excerpts with misspellings uncorrected): The white man is trying to build up every excutse against the Muslims to charge 
us with hate and violents, or perpareing for war against the (symbol) White Man. This is lies, and a bould lie... 
The white race know that god wants the negro to be free. And everything they can do to oppose it they will try to do it…
The Muslims are not going to do anything than what we are doing./ and that is trying to deliver the truth to our people the negroes./ and teach them 
that they are Muslim by nature.
We live here only with the white man of America./ and we have been here for 400 years,/ and they say that we are free,/ but yet they keep us from 
Exercising the rights as equals or a free people, this the Hon Elijah Muhammad wants you and I to know and the white people understand today, we are 
tired of suffering – brutality Beating’s killing’s “why” just because the white man don’t like us. And absolutely hate us. And absolutely knowing that we 
have nothing to fight back with. Knowing that they have all the odds against us./ they the white race are absolutely the boss/ and we the poor so called 
negro are asking to leave them. We can be peaceful all day and all night, after a while that worries them. They will send someone around to see what is 
going on over there in that house. This is why we want to separate from a people like the white race…
These master presentation cards represent the most complete and complex Ali material we have ever encountered. They represent his 
opinions on his Muslim faith, race relations and life itself. Ali did not fight from March 1967 through October 1970 due to his refusal 
to be inducted into the armed forces. During that time he was systematically denied a boxing license in every state and stripped of his 
passport. During this time of inactivity, as opposition to the Vietnam War began to grow and Ali’s stance gained sympathy, he spoke at 
colleges across the nation, criticizing the war and advocating African American pride and racial justice.
Born Cassius Clay in Louisville, Kentucky, he won a gold medal as a lightweight at the 1960 Olympics and earned a reputation for his 
flamboyance and self-promotion. In 1963, he upset Sonny Liston for the title. The next day, he announced his conversion to Islam and 
changed his name to Muhammad Ali. Convicted of draft evasion, he was stripped of his title in 1967 but regained it in 1974. He lost 
it four years later to Leon Spinks, who he defeated seven months later, becoming the only three time champion.  $8,000 - $12,000

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8.  Anderson, Robert. Autograph statement on the Bombardment 
of Ft. Sumter signed (“Robert Anderson”), 1 page (4.5 x 7.1 in.; 
114 x 180 mm.), no place or date. Extended margins with soiling 
on edges and mounting remnants on verso. Anderson writes in 
full: The bombardment of Fort Sumter commenced at 3 ½ am. Apl. 12. 
1861 & that work was evacuated in the afternoon of Apl. 14
th
 / 61 Yours 
Respectfully Robert Anderson U.S. Army 
Accompanied by a Robert Anderson Autograph letter signed, 
1 page (5 x 7.5 in.; 127 x 190 mm.), Fort Sumter, S.C., 24 January 
1861, to John M. Burt. Fine. Anderson writes in full: Sir. Thanking 
you for the compliment, you pay me, in your favor of the 17
th
 inst. I am 
very truly yours Robert Anderson Major USA.
On 20 November 1860, at the request of Southern members of 
Congress, Secretary of War Floyd sent Robert Anderson (then a 
Major, having been promoted in 1857) to take over the command 
of the three forts in Charleston Harbor, S. C. (only one of which 
– Fort Moultrie – was garrisoned) when secession became 
imminent. Evidently, Floyd supposed that Anderson’s Kentucky 
background would render him faithful to the Southern cause. 
However, Anderson’s fidelity to the Union resulted in one of the 
most dramatic episodes of the entire Civil War - the defense of 
Fort Sumter during its lengthy bombardment. For five weeks 
after his appointment, Anderson called upon the War Department 
for reinforcements, but no assistance in men or munitions was 
provided. After South Carolina passed the ordinance of secession 
(20 December 1857), Anderson secretly spiked the guns at Fort 
Moultrie and shifted its garrison to Fort Sumter, which (due to 
its location on a shoal in the harbor) could not be approached by 
land. Reinforcements arrived on the Star of the West (9 January 
1861), but enemy gunfire (without support from Anderson’s 
garrison in Fort Sumter) forced it to turn back. Confronted with a 
formal demand to surrender his post, he defended the fort against 
a bombardment that lasted nearly 34 hours until surrender was his 
only available course of action (14 April 1861). $2,000 - $3,000
9. Armstrong, Neil. Exceedingly rare early autograph letter 
signed (“Neil Armstrong”) 1 page (5.25 x 8 in.; 133 x 203 mm.), 
Houston, Texas, no date, to “Mrs. Wilson”. On watermarked NASA 
stationery. Lightly creased at top. Fine condition.
Armstrong writes in full: Dear Mrs. Wilson – Thank you very much for 
your letter and the clan information. I will forward it to my mother whom 
maintains the family genealogy. I’m sure she will find it of interest as I 
have. Sincere Best Wishes – Neil Armstrong.
Neil Armstrong became an astronaut in 1962. In July 1970, he 
was appointed Deputy Associate Administrator for Aeronautics 
in Washington and resigned from NASA in September 1971 to 
become Professor of Aerospace Engineering at the University of 
Cincinnati. $4,000 - $6,000

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