How did Muhammad Ali Impact America - Research Paper Example

In the year 1999 he was crowned as the Sportsman of the Century by Sports Illustrated as well as the Sports Personality of the Century by BBC. Muhammad Ali had a lasting effect on America not only as a world champion boxer but as a philanthropist, human rights activist, and spiritual leader.  Muhammad Ali is indeed one of the most polarizing figures of all time because of his great contributions to the world of boxing and sports. He made a remark that is known world over when he was asked by the U.

S military to fight in the Vietnam War. He said, “I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong. No Viet Cong ever called me nigger.” Due to this, he was publicly vilified even after having won the Heavyweight Championship World Title three times consecutively. He even inspired Martin Luther King Jr. as well as a number of young Americans into opposing the Vietnam War. The way Ali carried himself made a number of Americans proud of him and they admired him for his grace both inside and outside the ring.

He was not ashamed of his religious background and proudly proclaimed himself to be a black Islamist. Ali’s professional boxing career included him winning an Olympic gold medal and was the first and only three time winner of the Lineal World Heavyweight Championship. . Were Kings.’ In the year 1975, Ali faced a bout against Chuck Wepner after which he faced Frazier again in what was called ‘The Thrilla in Manila’. He was thus the most feared boxer of his day, remaining undefeated at the hands of a number of renowned boxers from all over the world.

Ali was a Black Muslim at a time in America when not many people understood what his religion or culture meant. The adoption of the name Muhammad Ali from Clay Cassius was the beginning of Ali’s identity as a Black Muslim and a member of the Nation of Islam. He was made a target of both outrageousness as well as suspicion because he was seen supporting Elijah Muhammad the leader of Nation of Islam, a religion that was viewed very derogatorily in the eyes of most Americans. However, he stuck to his guns and continued to practice Islam and was not afraid of his identity despite it making him a hot topic for controversy.

He stated, “We who follow the teachings of Elijah Muhammad don't want to be forced to integrate. Integration is wrong. We don't want to live with the white man; that's all.” He then moved on to become a Sunni Muslim and later embraced Sufism in the year 2005 as a spiritual leader. Recently, Ali developed Parkinson’s disease however, despite his disability he has continued to serve society through philanthropic activities. He has travelled to numerous countries to help people in need, especially people belonging to Black and Muslim minorities.

He had also been selected by the United Nations as a Messenger of Peace in the year 2002 and stayed in Kabul for three days propagating peace talks as a special guest of the UN. He was also given the Presidential Medal for Freedom as well as Otto Hahn Peace Medal in Gold in Berlin for the work that he did with respect to the