Damion L. Thomas
Sports curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, speaking about Muhammad Ali's 1996 Olympic torch moment and its historical significance.
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Feb 20, 2026 • 18min
25 at 250: Althea Gibson's winning racket and Muhammad Ali's Olympic torch
Damion Thomas, sports curator at the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, explains why Muhammad Ali carrying and lighting the 1996 Olympic torch was such a powerful cultural moment. Short, vivid scenes revisit Ali’s tremor, the decision to feature him, and how that moment reshaped public memory and national symbolism.
