Muhammad Ali War Protest

[Name of the Institution

Abstract

This paper aims to discuss the historical issue of Muhammad Ali's (Cassius Clay) refusal for induction into the US army on account of religious and political reasons. The US army was at war with Vietnam in 1967, when Muhammad Ali refused to be inducted into the US army to support war against Vietnam. Muhammad Ali was against the war in Vietnam and always gave message of Black proud and resistance to White dominance. Therefore, after refusal, Ali has to deal with various consequences of his refusal but he always stood proud as a Black Muslim.

Table of Contents

Introduction1

Discussion1

Description of Historical Event1

Analysis of Historical and Contemporary Causes of the Event3

Analysis of Different Historical Interpretations of the Event4

Evaluation of the Positive and Negative Outcomes of the Event6

Conclusion7

References9

Annotated Bibliography10

Muhammad Ali War Protest

Introduction

The research paper is based on a historical event of Muhammad Ali's (boxing champion) refusing of induction into the US army on April 28, 1967 when, the United States was at war with Vietnam. Muhammad Ali's refusal cost him the title of heavy weight champion. He mentioned some religious reasons for his decision against induction in the US army. The paper uses the concepts learned in class to describe the historical event. The paper also analyzes the historical and contemporary causes of this event and provides a deep analysis of different historical interpretations of Muhammad Ali's refusing of induction into the US army. Further, the study includes the positive and negative effects of the event.

Discussion

Description of Historical Event

On April 28, 1967, Muhammad Ali (Boxing Champion) refused to be inducted into the US Army. This decision cost him stripping from his heavyweight title, immediately. Muhammad Ali, a Muslim, mentioned religious motives behind his refusal for induction into the US army. Muhammad Ali was not a born Muslim.He converted to Islam in 1964. He was born as Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. in a small town of Kentucky on January 14, 1942. On October 29, 1960, Muhammad Ali (Cassius Clay) made his boxing debut against Tunney Husaker and secured a gold medal in Rome at the 1960 Olympic Games. He became heavyweight champ on February 25, 1964 after defeating Sony Liston, in six rounds(Michael, 2002). This was the time when Clay (Muhammad Ali) announced his acceptance of the teachings of Islam and on March 6, 1964, changed his name to Muhammad Ali, by the help of his spiritual mentor Elijah Muhammad. Muhammad Ali dominated boxing, for the next three years and emerged as a through and magnificent fighter, in boxing. Later in 1964, Ali appeared in the US armed forces qualifying test and failed it badly because of his below-par writing and spelling skills. However, in 1966, US armed forces revised the criteria of the qualifying test and re-considered Ali, eligible for the draft and induction into the US army (Bockris, 1998). This was the time when the United States was at war with Vietnam.

Therefore, knowing the results of his test, Ali refused to serve the US army, ...