Table of ContentsThe Life of Muhammad Ali and His Significant Impact on SocietyMuhammad Ali as a Humanitarian and PhilanthropistConclusionWorks CitedMuhammad Ali was an African American who was a former boxer professional heavyweight and one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century. His boxing career began in the 1960s and ended in 1981. He was the first boxer to win the heavyweight title three times and was an Olympic gold medalist. Ali won fifty-six times during his twenty-one year professional boxing career. Muhammad Ali was the most important African American athlete of all time because he used his fame to promote issues relevant to black Americans, including opposition to the Vietnam War, support for the rights movement civics, and used his boxing platform to promote equal treatment for blacks. people in the United States. He was a very outspoken person on issues of racism, religion, and politics, which made him a target at a time when the United States was experiencing racial segregation and going through the Cold War. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The Life of Muhammad Ali and His Significant Impact on SocietyMuhammad Ali was originally born as Cassius Clay Jr. in Louisville, Kentucky. He legally changed his name to Muhammad Ali when he converted to Islam and was a practicing Muslim. Elijah Mohammad, one of the most famous human rights activists who also went by the name Malcolm X, gave Cassius his Muslim name. The biggest fight of his life didn't take place in a boxing ring; it was his refusal to enlist in the first Vietnam War. His stance shocked America and created a movement of anti-war activism. In March 1966, at the age of 25, at the height of his career, Ali refused to serve in the Vietnam War. He said the war was against his religion and beliefs. He also didn't understand why he had to kill people he had never met, never called him racist names, never hurt his family or ordered dogs to attack him. He was immediately stripped of his championship belt, passport and was not allowed to box anywhere in the United States. He was fined $10,000 and sentenced to 5 years in prison. Martin Luther King Jr. supported Ali and spoke publicly about his opposition after Ali took a stand. Ali gave him the courage to speak out about the oppression of war. That year, more than 20,000 Americans died in the Vietnam War. Ali did not serve jail time because he was out on bail while under appeal and investigation. Opposition to the Vietnam War began to grow and Ali's view gained empathy as he struggled financially and did not have a career. He was not willing to leave the country. He spoke across the country, criticizing the war and advocating black pride and racial justice. He believed one of the reasons he was drafted was his race and religion. The year before, Joe Lewis, the former heavyweight champion, donated his entire salary from his mega boxing match to help fund the World War. After Lewis retired, the U.S. government demanded that the former boxer pay taxes on the profits from this fight, even though Lewis had donated the entire amount to the government. This act bankrupted Joe Lewis and he died poor. Ali protested the sickening treatment of African Americans, even though theyare fought for the country. His case made its way through the courts before his conviction was overturned in 1971. He returned to combat after 4 years. Ali joined the Nation of Islam, an African-American political and religious movement. He spoke about the genocide against African Americans and longed to meet people of different colors from around the world to give him a different perspective and greater spiritual awareness. Growing up, Ali was told that people of color had no rights and were even lucky to live in America. The laws of the United States of America treated people of color as second-class citizens when Ali was growing up. There were racially designated areas where black people could eat, shop, work, and send their children to school. They were told where to live and who they could or could not marry. They would be treated more harshly if they broke the law. The city's most popular amusement park was near his house, but only white people were present in or near the park. This upset black children and made them feel like caged animals. Ali's father told him that only money could give a colored man equality and respect. When Ali was 12, his bicycle was stolen. He spoke to a police officer who advised him to learn boxing to defend himself. Ali took his words and began training with an officer who later became his coach in his boxing career. Ali said he always wanted to become famous when he was a young man. A reporter asked him why it was important for him to be famous. He said this so he could show that as a black man you didn't have to follow the white man's orders and you could be free and say whatever you wanted and go wherever you wanted. He wanted to show that equality was a possibility for a man of color. Muhammad Ali introduced the term "Black Power" to the white American public through his celebrity status. He aligned himself with Elijah Mohammad and Martin Luther King Jr. He would spread their philosophies to promote equality and raise awareness among the nation. Muhammad Ali as a Humanitarian and Philanthropist His humanitarian and philanthropic efforts were the result of his childhood struggles. , growing up as a person of color in a racist America. He was never a greedy person. He has donated millions of dollars to charities and underprivileged people from all walks of life. It is estimated that Ali helped feed more than 22 million people around the world who were suffering from hunger due to lack of food. He always fought for minorities and the underprivileged whenever he got the chance. He supported Native American rights, he went to Africa to boycott the Moscow Olympics, and Ali went to Iraq and met with Saddam Hussein to negotiate the release of American hostages and succeeded. Ali persuaded the U.S. government to help Palestinian and Rwandan refugees. Even when Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's syndrome, he never stopped spreading peace. He contracted the disease as a result of constant head trauma from the sport of boxing. He raised awareness about Parkinson's disease and traveled to Afghanistan to spread peace on behalf of the United Nations. He always took time out of his day to help those less fortunate. As Ali grew, his illness worsened. Ali couldn't speak properly, couldn't walk straight and always seemed sleepy. Ali has always tried to make public appearances for his fans and supporters despite his deteriorating health. His body.