Muhammad Ali's legacy |
Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. known as Muhammad Ali was born on January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. Muhammad Al is an American former professional boxer generally considered one of the best heavyweights in boxing history. During the civil rights movement Muhammad Ali continued to be not only a fighter in the ring but a fighter for civil rights as well. So, during the civil rights movement Ali found himself defending his new name and battling issues of race and class. He became a known icon in the struggle for civil rights. Ali's message of black pride and black resistance to white domination was a great impact on the civil rights movement. Ali defied the US government and alienated mainstream America because he stood up for his principles. Muhammad Ali, at the age 63, was awarded the Otto Hahn peace medal for his ''lifelong engagement in the American civil rights movement and the global cultural emancipation of blacks, as well as his work as a U.N. Goodwill ambassador,'' the organization said.
Ali joined the Nation of Islam and changed his name. He converted to Sunni Islam in 1975. . On the left is video is video of Muhammad Ali in 1968 taking charge joking around how everything is white. Muhammad Ali is known for his inspirational speeches. |