3 Things Muhammad Ali Taught Our Children

We lost one of the greatest heroes in history yesterday. Muhhamad Ali died at the age of 74 from complications due to Parkinson's Disease. When you think of this influential man, you think boxing champion. He won 56 fights through out his time as a heavyweight boxer.Did you know he also risked everything he loved to stand against injustice?

3 Things Muhammad Ali Taught Our Children

You can do anything you set your mind to.

Muhammad Ali was born in a time of servanthood in Louisville, Kentucky. While slavery had ended over one hundred years prior, racial castes still existed. At the time, the most Muhammad Ali could have strived for was to be a teacher in an all black school.As a young child Muhammad Ali knew where he stood in society. While he was with his father, he asked a store clerk for a drink of water. He was extremely thirtsy and instead of getting a simple drink, was called the "n" word. He encountered many similar occasions through out his life, but at the age of 12 years old, he had enough.His bike was stolen and he was devastated. As he was crying, he found a white police officer, Joe Martin and told him he would beat up the people that took his bike. Joe Martin was impressed with him and told he that he would have to learn how to fight first. This was the beginning of his boxing career.He didn't follow the path that society had set before him. He decided to do something different and that he loved. Little did he know the impact his boxing would have on decades to come.

Fight for what you believe in.

In the 60's Muhammad Ali had started voicing his strong opinions about racial injustice. At that time, The Vietnam War was raging on. Most men were being drafted and going to fight against Vietnam. When Muhammad Ali was drafted, he said no. This was unheard of. Fighting for your country wasn't a choice, it was duty. You did it because your country asked you to.

"Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go ten thousand miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on brown people in Vietnam while so-called negro people in Louisville are being treated like dogs and denied simple human rights." 

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali refused to fight for freedom across the globe when black citizens weren't being offered the same rights. In response, he was convicted of draft evasion and sentenced to five years in prison. He didn't end up serving that time in the end, but he didn't know what would happen.

Muhammad Ali stood up against injustice, risking it all. He ended up being exiled from the boxing world. He wasn't only the "wrong race" now, but he was also someone refusing to fight for his country.

He ended up becoming the talk of the town. Everyone was talking about him and his refusal to fight in Vietnam. White and black citizens started to stand up with Muhammad Ali and fought injustice.

Whether or not you agree with his decision about Vietnam, he fought for what he believed in. He thought it was wrong to fight for freedom somewhere else, when black US citizens didn't even have that same freedom.

You can make a difference.

Muhammad Ali fought through his boxing exile and made a name for himself. He never gave up on his dream. He knew it was worth fighting for and had the support of so many people, fighting in his corner.He knew his refusal to fight in Vietnam would have consequences, but he did anyway.He knew society didn't want a black boxer, but he did it anyway.He never let society tell him what he had to do. He stood up for what he believed was right and he made a lasting impression on our nation. He broke the mold society made and taught generations of people, that they can do anything.By teaching our children about Muhammad Ali's life, they can see how strength and determination matter. They can see how hard he fought against injustice and because of that racial castes were broken.When he boxing career ended, he later developed Parkinson's disease. As the world changer that he was, he used his platform to spread awareness for the disease. He never let anyone or anything silence him.Even though his boxing career ended, his fight never did.

Today, let's celebrate Muhammad Ali and the impact he had, not only on my family, but yours.

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