There's a very brave, honorable politician, who unfortunately was lost in the annals of history, as a man directly responsible for Russian support during the civil war.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassius_Marcellus_Clay_(politi...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cassius_Marcellus_Clay_(politi...
Ali's grandfather specifically named his son after Cassius to honor Cassius, the KY politician. The son proceeded to do the same, with who would eventually be a famous boxer, M. Ali.
The boxer changed his name to Ali, both due to his conversion to islam , and because he was angry to take the name of a plantation owner.
The latter is true - Cassius was a plantation owner. However, early on he defender ardently emancipation. He in fact suffered multiple murder attempts from actual slavery advocates... who surrounded him in KY