Vietnam War Conflict

Ali being escorted to court room

 
On August 23, 1966, Muhammad Ali took on the biggest "fight" of his life when he changed his status on religious grounds (as a minister with the Nation of Islam). In what became an extensive legal, political, professional, and personal battle, Ali was convicted of evading deployment to the war, stripped of his boxing title, and became the voice for opinions on the Vietnam War. Muhammad Ali's willingness to speak out against racism in the United States, and the affect it had on domestic and foreign policy, earned him many supporters and detractors. In 1971, nearly five years after it began, Ali's legal battle finally culminated with a unanimous decision (8-0 with Thurgood Marshall abstaining) by the United States Supreme Court overturning his draft conviction. The following resources document his struggle, his views, and his influence.

I ain't got no quarrel with the Vietcong. No Vietcong ever called me Nigger.”-Ali
This was a very clean cut quote and speaks for itself said on August 23, 1966.


"Nobody has to tell me that this is a serious business. I'm not fighting one man. I'm fighting a lot of men, showing a lot of 'em, here is one man they couldn't defeat, couldn't conquer. My mission is to bring freedom to 30m black people."

Before his fight against Jerry Quarry in 1970.


 “No, I am not going 10,000 miles to help murder kill and burn other people to simply help continue the domination of white slavemasters over dark people the world over. This is the day and age when such evil injustice must come to an end.-Ali

 “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 treated like dogs and denied simple human rights?”-Ali
Both this quote and the one above have the same point which is why should he fight against other fellow "dark people" and harm or even kill them while even in his own country more "dark people" are being discriminated against and are treated unfairly .Before his fight against Jerry Quarry in 1970. 

Actual court document from Ali vs. United states trial.