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Ahmed Elghzali

Dr. Iain Ellis

English 102

29 October 2018

Muhamad Ali’s Influence

Once upon a time, your great-granddaddy told my great-granddaddy that when my

granddaddy grew up, “we would be free,” and things would be better. But listen, your

granddaddy told my granddaddy, that when my daddy was born, “Now that we’re free,”

things would be better. Then your daddy told my daddy that when I was grown, things

would “surely” be better. But they weren’t. -Muhammad Ali (Ali)

Throughout the seventeenth century all the way up to the nineteenth century African

Americans were treated badly. Many African Americans were brought in to the English colonies,

later the United States of America, as early as 1619. They were brought to the United States as

slaves and did not have many freedoms presented to them. Freedoms were given to African

Americans with time. At first, they were considered property of the slave owners, later they were

considered 3/5th of a man in 1787. Although it seems like they were given more rights, this was

primarily for political reasons for the south to gain more representation of the government. Later,

in 1865 slavery was abolished with the 13th amendment but African Americans were still highly

discriminated against. African Americans had the right to vote but it was still difficult for them

to vote as there were factors that limited how they voted such as literacy tests. Muhammad Ali

grew up in a time where it was very segregated and, although, there were rights for African

American there were still Jim Crow Laws that mandated segregation of schools, parks, drinking
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fountains, restrooms, buses, and more. (PBS) Although Muhammad Ali lived in such hard times

he triumphed over the adversity and would become one of the greatest boxer of all time. His

adversity does not only contain the domains of boxing but also his fight to end Jim crow laws

and fight for the equal treatment of all. Muhammad Ali did a lot to help eliminate Jim crow laws

and lead to a more peaceful coexistence between Black and White Americans as this was seen in

his controversial conversion to the Nation of Islam, and his refusal to go to the Vietnam war.

Immediately after a very anticipated fight between Sony Liston, the heavy weight

champion with a 7-1 odds of winning, and Cassius Clay, later known as Muhammad Ali,

Muhammad Ali converted to the Nation of Islam. This was a controversial group as they were a

black separationist group who believed that the black man cannot live with the white man. Many

regarded the Nation of Islam as a hate group. The minister of the Nation of Islam states: “If it is

not possible to attain a system where there is equality and justice for all, then black people and

white people cannot live together to solve the problem.” (FCN) Elijah Muhammad and Malcom

X who were dominant leaders in the group at the time have even gone to the extreme as to say

that white people are devils. (Bryant) Muhammad Ali at the time was seen promoting this agenda

as he would go on to say “Integration is wrong. We don’t want to live with the white man.”

(Bryant) The black determination movement inspired African Americans to have more “Black

Pride.” Upon converting to the Nation of Islam Muhammad Ali changed his name from Cassius

Clay. Muhammad Ali was proud of his African American Heritage and changed his name from a

white slave owners name from Kentucky to Muhammad Ali which means the one who is praised.

He decided to do so as he said that “Cassius is my slave name. I didn’t choose it and I don’t want

it. I am Muhammad Ali, a free name- it means beloved to God…” His contribution to “Black

Pride” was very important to the elimination of racism. Ali talks about his view on the main
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teaching of the nation of Islam in his autobiography saying that the “focus was teaching Black

Pride and Self- awareness.” Black Pride was important as during a time where African

Americans were powerless, Muhammad Ali would praise and empower himself, his religion, and

his heritage. (Bryant) He would show his authority and would say things such as “I am the

greatest” and “I am pretty.” This coming from a black man at the time took a lot of courage and

would show that African Americans are valued and are powerful. By Muhammad Ali being the

best boxer at the time he would exemplify that an African American can indeed be best

“greatest.”

Muhammad Ali’s religion impacted who he was and made him one of the most

prolific anti-war protester against the Vietnam war. Muhammad Ali’s spiritual mentor Elijah

Muhammad states that Muslims are righteous people and the do not believe in making war on

people and the senseless violence was against their beliefs. (Glenn) Muhammad Ali would say

“War is against the teachings of the Quran and that we are not supposed to take part in wars

unless declared by Allah or the Messenger.” There were many people who would criticize

Muhammad Ali’s decision regardless of whether it was against his religious beliefs saying if he

wants to be a hero for America than it is his responsibility to go to the war and he should not

forget about his nationality. Muhammad Ali also refused to go to the war for other reasons as he

would refuse to go fight for the imperialism of a superior white nation over an impoverished

darker skinned nation who are victims of the same system of oppression. (Wolfson) This war

was also ironically fought with a disproportionate number of African Americans. Martin Luther

King regarded it as the “White Man’s War and a Black Man’s fight.” Civil Right activities

including Muhammad Ali thought that this was an injustice to African Americans as African

Americans are going out to fight for more oppression of other minorities.
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My conscience won’t let me go shoot my brother, or some darker people, or some poor

hungry people in the mud for big powerful America. And shoot them for what? They

never called me nigger, they never lynched me, they didn’t put no dogs on me, they

didn’t rob me of my nationality, rape and kill my mother and father. … Shoot them for

what? How can I shoot them poor people? Just take me to jail. -Ali (Calamur)

Lastly, another big reason that Muhammad Ali refused to fight in the Vietnam War was because

he believed that there was no reason to go fight abroad for other people’s “rights” when

domestically there are still problems that the U.S must address. Why go fight in Vietnam when

black people in the United States aren’t allowed to drink from the same water fountain as white

people or go to the same restaurant. Muhammad Ali saw that it was a priority to focus on the

domestic issues before even thinking of going abroad.

My enemy is the white people, not Viet Cong or Chinese or Japanese. You my opposer

when I want freedom. You my opposer when I want justice. You my opposer when I

want equality. You won't even stand up for me in America for my religious beliefs — and

you want me to go somewhere and fight, but you won't even stand up for me here at

home? -Ali (Metz)

Muhammad Ali sacrificed everything including his boxing title, millions of dollars, fame, and

many years in prison. Years later he won the supreme court case “Ali Vs. The United States

Government” and was granted his boxing license back. With winning this supreme court case he

was able to continue promoting what he believed in and would never stop fighting against

injustice.
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Muhammad not only conquered the boxing ring but also conquered outside of the ring.

He is one of the most influential civil rights activists as he used his large platform to promote

what he believes in. He spoke in a very engaging, poetic, and hip-hop way which attracted a lot

of attention. Not only was his speech unique but also his boxing style. Muhammad Ali versus

George Foreman was one of the first sporting events to ever reach a billion viewers. This just

shows you how much Muhammad Ali was able to overcome adversity as he started his career as

a poor discriminated against African American boy to end his career as one of the best boxers of

all time while ending helping end Jim Crow and decrease the notion of racism to minorities and

African Americans. He was able to do so with controversial aspects such as converting to the

nation of Islam and being a conscientious objector during the war in Vietnam. Later in his life

Ali converted to Suffi and Sunni Islam in which he believed in the integration of minorities

living together contrary to the beliefs he held with the Nation of Islam. Such as how Ali

exemplified in his life it is important to continuously learn, look for the truth, and fight for the

rights of each other. While adversity will most likely strike, Ali teaches us that we must strike

back and never settle for oppression and injustice.

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Citations:

Ali, Muhammad. Soul of a Butterfly: Reflections on Life’s Journey. New York, Simon & Schuster,

2013.

Bryant, Nick. “Muhammad Ali: The Man Who Changed His Sport and His Country.” BBC News, BBC,

4 June 2016, www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36450806

Calamur, Krishnadev. “When Muhammad Ali Refused to Go to Vietnam.” The Atlantic, Atlantic Media

Company, 4 June 2016, www.theatlantic.com/news/archive/2016/06/muhammad-ali-

vietnam/485717/.

Fcn. “Farrakhan Meets The Press.” Willie Lynch Letter: The Making of a Slave, FCN Publishing, 20

May 1997, www.finalcall.com/national/mlf-mtp5-13-97.html.

Glenn, Mahlik. “Nation of Islam vs. Vietnam War.” Prezi.com, Prezi, 25 Aug. 2015,

prezi.com/kwdcgnh1vk5q/nation-of-islam-vs-vietnam-war/.

Metz, Nina. “The Trials of a Chicago Director Making Muhammad Ali Doc.” Chicago Tribune, Chicago

Tribune, 8 Sept. 2018, www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/ct-xpm-2013-08-31-ct-ae-0901-

fall-movie-profile-20130831-story.html.

PBS. “Jim Crow Laws.” Jim Crow Laws, Public Broadcasting Service, 2011,

www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/freedom-riders-jim-crow-laws/.

Wolfson, Andrew. “Muhammad Ali Lost Everything in Opposing the Vietnam War. But in 1968, He

Triumphed.” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 2 Mar. 2018,

www.usatoday.com/story/news/2018/02/19/1968-project-muhammad-ali-vietnam-

war/334759002/.