Muhammad Ali was an athlete formally known as a Cassius Clay before he changed his name to Cassius X and later to Ali after joining the Nation of Islam. He is well known due to his mark on the world as an athlete in boxing. Besides him being an iconic boxer he also remembered as a person who fought for social and political change through his outspoken political positions and this the point where his greatness excelled . Ali had a great political influence on many individuals in the United States. Different occasions portray Ali’s stand on political and social change.
“Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” (xiii), Muhammad Ali, the best boxer of all time. As a young child Muhammad Ali, originally known as Cassius Clay, grew up in a time of racism and hatred towards African Americans. Not only was Ali an African American, he would eventually become a muslim later in his life, which proved to be even more stressful. By later becoming a Muslim, he showed the U.S. that he was culturally different from most of the population, including me. As I read about Ali, I learned about his successes, and also his struggles.
Ali's charm, humor, and unwavering confidence helped him become a global superstar. He spoke out against racial unfairness, religious prejudice, and the Vietnam War without fear, often at considerable personal risk. Ali's firm commitment to his ideals, both inside and beyond the ring, showed athletes' ability to impact change and challenge society's standards. His reputation as a social justice crusader continues to encourage sportsmen to use their platforms to make a good difference in the
Cassius Clay, or more popularly known “Muhammad Ali”, was a very
Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., is one of the most iconic and important figures in both sports and history. Known for his legendary boxing career and activism in the Civil Rights movement, Muhammad Ali is one of the most important figures of the past century. For his achievements inside and outside the ring, Muhammad Ali is an indisputable and impeccable candidate for the African American Hall of Fame. Muhammad Ali, born Cassius Marcellus Clay on January 17th, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky, was destined for greatness. When Cassius was 12 years old, a police officer and gym owner named Joe Elsby Martin offered to help him file a police report after his bike was stolen during his childhood.
In 1964, Muhammad Ali, one of America’s most polarizing and famous athletes for his boxing career, was being drafted to the military. Ali fizzled the U.S. Military qualifying test in light of the fact that his written work and spelling aptitudes were below the national standard. Because of the Vietnam War spiraling down as a lost war effort, the test norms were brought down in November 1965. Ali was then ultimately eligible for the draft and was to be named into the military. He was also going to be called for an act of duty due to the lack of soldiers in Vietnam, an already unpopular war (Cassius Marsellus CLAY, Jr.).
Muhammad Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky on January 17, 1942. He discovered his talent of boxing through an odd advisor- a thief. When Muhammad was 12, his bike was stolen. When he told police officer Joe Martin that he wanted to beat up the thief, the police officer said: “Well, you better learn how to fight before you start challenging people.” Coincidentally, Martin also worked with young boxers at the gym.
In the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee introduces Scout’s and Jem’s father named Atticus, who is a lawyer in Maycomb County. Atticus carries a watch inside his coat with him all the time, and he refers to this very so often in the novel. This watch comes to represent a symbol in the story as it progresses into the trial of Tom Robinson and that there is time remaining to do what’s right. Atticus tells the children that it isn’t time to worry just yet, after the verdict of Tom Robinson.
The Champ Is Here Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. was an activist and American professional boxer, however many knew him as the legendary Muhammad Ali. Clay altered his name to Ali after joining the Nation of Islam in 1964. Ali had a sister and four brothers. Clay lived in a time when racial segregation was at its peak. After being denied water due to his skin color and the murder of Emmett Till, Clay and a friend vandalized a local rail yard to take out their frustration.
Trials and Tribulations of Muhammad Ali There is always a base image of a celebrity when said celebrity’s name is brought up; the name Muhammad Ali may project an image of a famous boxer who had his name chanted every time he stepped inside of a ring. However, many didn’t know that he had a struggle with the name he was given at birth and the name he had been given by his teacher Elijah Muhammad. As Richard B. Muhammad and Starla Muhammad points, “His name change, stand with Mr. Muhammad and stand against White supremacy and U.S. racial hypocrisy brought hate mail and death threats.” I’ve even heard stories about how people would call him a terrorist and coward just because he changed his name into something that did not suit their standards. Having to ignore the tomatoes thrown at you (hypothetically) while preparing and training for the next fight like it will be your last is something many people did not think about when they picture Muhammad Ali’s life daily.
Have you ever seen racism, bullies, religion prejudice, or someone not being able to stand up for what they believe in? If so, you just saw the struggle that Muhammad Ali faced and overcame. Defining himself as a black muslim, Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali and faced much hatred in the field of sports. How he overcame those challenges makes Ali the most valuable person in history.
In this fight he used his celebrity status to speak out for others who couldn’t. With his greatness in the ring it helped out the hope of maybe African American will continue fighting. The fight for the title raised the sudden interest for the black community to rise up. Most people believed that his close friendship with Malcolm X, another civil rights activist, made Ali join the nation of Islam. According to “ aliandcivilrights.weebly.com”, “the Nation of Islam urged blacks not to cooperate with the Mass Civil Rights movement and not to coalesce with their white suppressers”, The Nation of Islam brought together numbers of blacks together to move up in the civil rights movement and fight against white race.
Muhammad Ali has significantly benefitted modern society by creating equality between African Americans and whites, helping fight for a cure for Parkinson’s disease, and increasing the popularity of the sport of boxing. Muhammad Ali was not just one of the greatest boxers of all time; he was one of the greatest examples of all time. Muhammad Ali always said he wanted to be, more than a boxer, he wanted to inspire people all over the world (“Hauser”). To do this, Ali visited a lot of organizations such as, Make-a-Wish Foundation and the Special Olympics making dreams of the young kids a reality.
Despite the many truths and lies that were said about him and how he was portrayed, Muhammad Ali is a widely known celebrity, who even won the Heavyweight championship 3 times. He was both celebrated and hated, but as time passed, many journalists began to see him as a world renowned figure and a true legend, who reformed his sport and left a really lasting impact on the world. He is widely considered as one of the greatest heavyweight boxers in all of history. The media reported heavily on Muhammad Ali’s boxing career, either highlighting his skills or criticizing his techniques. The media also focused heavily on his civil rights activism, refusal to serve in Vietnam, conversion to Islam, and famous name change on different sides of the arguments.
He was a sport icon of his era as well as a dynamic figure in the racial and cultural battles of his time. Ali grew up in the south when racism was at its highest. According to Remnick, David he stated that “Like any black child of his generation, Cassius Clay Learned quickly that if he strayed outside his neighborhood to the white neighborhood of Portland,
