There was a time in the 1970s when two of the most famous faces in the world were tied to Louisville. Muhammad Ali and Colonel Harland Sanders remain world famous long after their deaths. Ali's humanitarian work shines in spite of a tumultuous era where he promoted racial segregation with Nation of Islam. The Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville educates visitors on the importance of diversity and inclusion. Colonel Sanders launched to superstardom through fried chicken, ultimately franchising his secret recipe all around the world. But this 1960s appearance on What's My Line showcased him as an unknown entrepreneur just about to ascend the ladder of fame.
Tag: what’s my line
How in the world did no one know Colonel Sanders in 1963?
SIMON MEINERS: the twisted trajectories of Kentucky’s two global icons
My son Simon Meiners discovered a fascinating coincidence from March 6, 1964. Two men who would become the most recognizable figures in the world both made life changing decisions that would forever impact their separate legacies. As the millennial kids perpetually run from their whiteness, surely it's OK to point out that Col. Sanders (in this context) is the original snowflake.