Mentored by another civil rights leader in Malcolm X, Ali helped Black Americans feel prideful of who they are as well as promoting racial justice. Perhaps the naming of this blog is inaccurate, because he wasn't just an advocate for civil rights, he was an advocate for peace during the Vietnam war.
When he refused to be drafted in the military for the Vietnam War due to religious reasons and opposition to the war, he was arrested and stripped of all his medals. He lost his passport and struggled to find work for a long time. This was also during the peak of his career. He was forbidden from boxing at 26, the ruling wasn't overruled until he was 29.
His refusal to participate in the Vietnam war was what made him the greatest of all time. The fact he had made it to the highest point in sports, then threw it all away to stand up for what he believed. It made him even more powerful. Others would follow. Especially during a time when African American were fighting against civil rights. Mohammad Ali was proud of being black, and he encouraged other to be just as prideful.
I really found this post interesting. To add on to what you said, many believe Ali's declaration to be a really good way to raise questions about society. While he strayed from the traditional actions of the civil rights movement, he was able to effectively portray the idea that not all African Americans were cut from the same cloth, and that maybe that is acceptable in society. And while his opinion on the Vietnam War was unpopular for a while, the nation eventually started to turn against the war and he was viewed as a hero. Ultimately, Muhammad Ali's brave decisions allowed the society to confront questions, some of which still need to be answered to this day.
ReplyDeleteSource:
https://theundefeated.com/features/muhammad-ali-and-the-complexity-of-black-identity/
I think this post is very interesting as it shows how Ali fought inside the boxing ring, as well as out of it, fighting for civil rights and other causes, such as the end to the Vietnam War. While he may not have been appreciated enough during the 60s and 70s, his career is celebrated to this day. He has won many major awards because of his outstanding boxing career. In 1999, the Associated Press voted him the number one heavyweight of the 20th century and through his whole career he was the WBA heavyweight champion three times. However, he has also been rewarded for his work outside of the ring. In 1998 he became a United Nations Messenger of Peace for his work overseas and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005. Overall, Ali still is remembered as one of the greatest boxers of all time as well as an important figure in the civil rights movement.
ReplyDeleteSources:
https://ca.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/americon-lp-muhammad-ali/lesson-plan/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_career_of_Muhammad_Ali