Black history month was brought to a historic close in Miami this past Friday. The city celebrated the 58th anniversary of the night in Miami Beach when Cassius Clay defeated Sonny Liston for the Heavyweight Championship of the World.
To commemorate the occasion, the historical Hampton House Hotel held a
series of events entitled “The Greatest Weekend.”
The champ stayed at the Hampton House for the fight because black people were not allowed in any of the resorts on the beach. Since then, the hotel has been restored and is now a museum. The great Martin Luther King and Sammy Davis Jr are among many black celebrities who also stayed there. Although it’s been refurbished, it looks very much the same as it did back then.
In addition, be sure to check out the 2020 film “One Night in Miami” on Prime Video, which centers around Ali, Jim Brown, Sam Cooke and Malcom X, all staying at the Historic Hampton House. Regina King, an African American actress and director, earned two nominations for her directorial debut from the Golden Globe Awards as well as the Critics’ Choice Awards for Best Director.
The Hampton House, located at 4240 NW 27th Avenue in Miami, now provides a forum for educational, cultural, and historic activities.
