MUHAMMAD ALI VS VIETNAM WAR

Muhammad Ali - born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. in Louisville, Kentucky, in 1942 - rose from the bottom rung of the American South's racial segregation to become a three-time world heavyweight boxing champion and a 20th-century icon recognised around the world. However, Ali's impact extends beyond the realm of boxing.

Fifty-eight years ago this week, at the height of his fame, he refused to be drafted by the US military during the Vietnam War. His reason was straightforward: "I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong… No Viet Cong ever called me N*gger." His comment challenged the duplicity of an American nation that demanded Black citizens be loyal but not granted equal rights. As a result, Ali lost his titles, was banned from professional boxing and was sentenced to five years in jail. His conviction was reversed by the US Supreme Court in 1971.

By refusing the draft, he became part of global movements against imperialism and racial subjugation. His defiance was admired by pan-African thinkers, revolutionaries and youth movements across our continent. Ali's refusal was an act of dignity in the face of state power —a political act of defiance as much as a moral principle.

Although he returned to the ring and reclaimed his titles, Ali never lost his activism. He protested against apartheid, supported African liberation movements and travelled to countries such as Nigeria and Zaire, where he fought the iconic 1974 'Rumble in the Jungle.' Ali was, to many Africans, not only a sportsman but proof that Black greatness can transcend White dominance globally.

Ali died in 2016 at age 74. But his voice - firm, unyielding, and pan-African - lives on. In a world community where militarism, racism and economic injustice still hold sway, Muhammad Ali remains an icon of courage, self-determination and defiance. He stood up when it counted, and he will be remembered for that.

Sources

https://nysba.org/understanding-the-impact-of-the-muhammed-ali-case/?srsltid=AfmBOopcA73lbooewPImGM8_KRE_r7jpMK7QrovTxraueMpRG0ctfaV3

https://www.peaceau.org/en/article/au-hails-muhammad-ali-as-true-pan-africanist

https://sapelosquare.com/2018/06/19/muhammad-ali-loved-africa-and-africa-loved-him

https://africasacountry.com/2016/06/the-rumble-in-the-jungle

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jun/04/muhammad-ali-obituary

https://www.npr.org/2016/06/04/171025748/boxer-muhammad-ali-the-greatest-of-all-time-dies-at-74

https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2016/06/04/muhammad-ali-dies-obituary/85357592