Posted: February 24, 2019/ Updated August 27, 2019

By Gary Johnson with contributor Christopher Johnson

November 2019 will mark the 45th anniversary of “The Rumble in the Jungle.” The never to be forgotten fight between the undisputed and undefeated Heavyweight Champion of the world George Foreman and The Greatest, Muhammad Ali. The fight was held in Zaire, Africa.  Ali stunned the boxing world when he knocked out Foreman in the 8th round. When the dust had cleared and Ali returned to the United States, the first media personality he called was his friend, Harold Bell.  He asked Harold to meet him in New York City for the interview he had promised him in Chicago before flying to Zaire.

It took 45 years to just get “The Teaser” of the1974 Ali interview to the Big Screen, but on June 4, 2019, the Miracle Theatre on Capitol Hill was the host of “We Remember Muhammad Ali”.  Family and friends traveled as far away as Louisville, New Orleans, and Charlottesville, Virginia to pay tribute to The Greatest!  It was recently discovered that Congressman William Lacey Clay (D-Missouri) is a cousin of the Greatest!

As we head into February Black History Month 2020, one can say, if you’re going to be fact-based about our history, then you can make an argument that “good things come to those who wait.” This article was posted in February 2019, but I felt a need to re-visit.  On November 24, 2019, the complete Ali interview will be seen in a Red Carpet Documentary titled “Ali & Harold Bell: Uncovered and Uncrowned” at the Miracle Theatre.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3I8zZFubB0

This is not a blog about whether or not people like Harold Bell.  Spoiler Alert: Harold Bell believes when you help others you help yourself.

The “I Don’t Like Harold Bell” line is LONG but invisible because it is based on “He Said, She Said.”  Especially when you ask those who have benefited from his good deeds in the DC community.  Former NFL Running Backs Larry Brown and NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown, former NBA Star and former Mayor of Detroit Dave Bing, radio and television owner Cathy Hughes, former Georgetown basketball Coach John Thompson, Boxer, Sugar Ray Leonard, NBA Adrian Dantley, Redskin QB Doug Williams, CBS/NFL James Brown, NFL Tony Paige, Boxing Promoter Don King and more–but none will go on The Record! They have all benefited from his good works in the community and his pioneering efforts in broadcast media.  The benefactors read like a Who’s Who! There may be something to the metaphor, “Crabs in a barrel!”