Who would have thought back in 1942 in a time severe persecution of African-Americans was unfortunately still strong in the USA, just thirteen years before the Montgomery Boycott, twenty-one years before Martin Luther King Jr. would march on Washington D.C., that Cassius Clay Jr. would be born to Cassius Marcellus Clay Sr. (named after a Republican and abolutionist) and Odessa O'Grady Clay in Louiville, KY? It would have seemed so insignificant had this young child not grown up into an American hero and icon transcending every race, age, religion, and gender.
He was subject to segregation. He couldn't buy water at some stores. He had to drink water from water fountains marked 'Whites Only'. He focused on his career of boxing and was good at it winning in his youth six Kentucky Golden Glove titles and Light Heavyweight gold medal at the 1960 summer Olympics US boxing team. The US loved him. I won't write more about his career for it is public record.
A lot of people don't realize that Muhammad Ali (formerly Cassius Clay) was Muslim. He had converted. Even in this last week he spoke against the bigotry forming in this country and even instigated by certain celebrities.
I am not endorsing this website, but merely citing it for Ali's quote:
http://www.thepostgame.com/daily-take/201512/muhammad-ali-donald-trump-muslim-islam-violence-san-bernardino
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