Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali embodied the political athlete, using his power and platform to not only lecture about important civil issues, but also incite positive change through his actions. Born Cassius Clay in 1942, Ali began his career as a boxer at the young age of 12. Ali would go on to become the World Heavyweight Champion, but his most revolutionary fights happened outside of the ring. In terms of his activist accolades, Ali’s refusal to fight in the Vietnam War is most famed. Consequently, he was banned from the sport of boxing for three years, only to reply with, “So what? We [black people] have been in jail for 400 years.”

After facing racism first hand in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, the young Cassius Clay went on to join the Nation of Islam, eventually deciding to change his name to Muhammad Ali. More than a mere symbol, Ali set an example for generations of people to follow. He delivered medical supplies to an embargoed Cuba and traveled to Iraq to secure the release of fifteen American hostages. A representation of empathy, compassion, and understanding the importance of recognizing global humanity, Ali reminds us that with great power comes great responsibility.