Muhammad Ali

Born Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr., in 1942 (named after both his father and the famous Kentucky abolitionist), the gregarious, handsome, and extraordinarily gifted boxer garnered world attention by winning a gold medal in the 1960 Olympics. He further stunned the sports world by beating the heavily favored Sonny Liston to win the heavyweight title in 1964, and shocked white America by announcing right after that fight that he had joined the militant, antiwhite Nation of Islam, the Black Muslims, whose most well-known figure was the fiery orator Malcolm X. He also announced that he was changing his name to Muhammad Ali. When he opposed being drafted during the Vietnam War on religious grounds and was subsequently convicted of violating the Selective Service Act in 1967, he was denied a license to fight anywhere in the United States. He was, at this time, among white America, probably the most hated black public figure since heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson. After an exile of three and a half years, Ali returned triumphantly to boxing in 1970, even though he lost his title to Joe Frazier in 1971. He eventually won back his title in 1974, and after losing it once in 1978 regained it again later that year.

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