When I heard the truth about my name was not Cassius Clay, like I knew a black man in America named John Hawkins. Now, you know who John Hawkins was. He was a slave trader from England. But the white people of that time, if one had five slaves and his name was Jones, they would be called Jones' property. [. . . ] Now that I'm free, now that I'm no longer a slave, then I want a name of my ancestors.
Just stand aside and watch yourself go by; Think of yourself as 'he' instead of 'I'.