Cassius Clay Jr. was born in Louisville, Kentucky on January 17, 1942. Clay would eventually change his name to Muhammad Ali and become one of the most sought-after boxing athletes the world has ever known. His outstanding accomplishments and love for the sport allowed him to become a role model for people worldwide. Not only did Ali make history in his career as a boxer, but he also impacted the world outside of what he loved to do. His strong beliefs and objection of the Vietnam War without fearing the consequences of denying the military, shook the nation as a whole. Ali’s actions caught the eye of the public and granted the boxing world more publicity than ever before. Although Muhammad was being bashed on his harsh comments about the subject, …show more content…
At an early age, Ali showed that he wasn't scared of anyone or anything inside or outside of the ring. While growing up in the South, segregation took its toll on Ali. Racial discrimination and prejudice often crossed paths with him. Ali found his passion early when he punched his mom after getting spanked by her for misbehavior. His father, Cassius Sr., worked as a sign painter with very little artistic abilities and had a liking for alcohol. His mother, Odessa, was the caretaker of the house. As a child, no connection to the white race could prepare and protect Ali from the events that took place in the segregated south. For example, as a young boy, Ali was playing on the train tracks with his friends when a white man came up to him. The white man began to drag him by the collar and instructed Ali to keep his mouth closed. Luckily, another man witnessed what was going on and intervened. Ali was 12 before he began to be interested in boxing. On his birthday, Ali rode his newly-received red bicycle to a local fair with some friends. Somebody stole his bicycle while he was playing. He looked for his