6161457 ACR 21-237, Muhammad Ali Legacy Recognition Resolution of 2016  

  • A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION

     

    21-237

     

    IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

     

    June 28, 2016

     

    To recognize and honor the legacy of Muhammad Ali, whose life will continue to inspire generations of people around the world.

    WHEREAS, Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky;

    WHEREAS, as an amateur boxer, Muhammad Ali won 6 Kentucky Golden Gloves championships, 2 national Golden Gloves titles, and 2 Amateur Athletic Union (“AAU”) crowns;

    WHEREAS, Muhammad Ali won a gold medal in the light heavyweight boxing division at the 1960 Olympics in Rome;

    WHEREAS, Muhammad Ali won his first professional fight in October 1960, and by 1964 had carried an impressive 19–0 record with 15 victories by way of knockout;

    WHEREAS, on February 25, 1964, Muhammad Ali defeated reigning heavyweight champion Sonny Liston to become the heavyweight champion of the world at 22 years of age;

    WHEREAS, in 1964, after his conversion to Islam, Muhammad Ali no longer went by the name Cassius Clay;

    WHEREAS, on April 28, 1967, Muhammad Ali refused induction into the U.S. Army to fight in the Vietnam War due to his religious convictions and subsequently was stripped of his world title, his boxing license was suspended, and he was convicted of draft evasion and sentenced to 5 years in prison;

    WHEREAS, during his 3-year ban from boxing, Muhammad Ali became an activist and spoke out against the Vietnam War on college campuses;

    WHEREAS, Muhammad Ali became a cultural icon for being one of the most outspoken opponents of the Vietnam War and fighting for economic equality;

    WHEREAS, in 1970, the New York State Supreme Court ordered his boxing license reinstated;

    WHEREAS, on March 8, 1971, Muhammad Ali was defeated by heavyweight champ Joe Frazier at Madison Square Garden in the 15th round in what is hailed as the “Fight of the Century”;

    WHEREAS, on July 28, 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Muhammad Ali’s conviction by unanimous decision;

    WHEREAS, in 1974, Muhammad Ali defeated Joe Frazier in a rematch at Madison Square Garden and later that year regained his world title by defeating George Foreman by knockout in the “Rumble in the Jungle” in Kinshasa, Zaire;

     

    WHEREAS, in 1974, Muhammad Ali was named Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated and Fighter of the Year by the Boxing Writers Association;

     

    WHEREAS, in 1975, Muhammad Ali retained his belt after defeating Joe Frazier in the 15th round of the renowned "Thrilla in Manila" bout in the Philippines;

     

    WHEREAS, Muhammad Ali retired in 1981 after 21 years of professional boxing with a boxing record of 56 wins, 5 losses, 37 knockouts, and is considered by many around the world to be the greatest boxer in the sport’s history;

     

    WHEREAS, Muhammad Ali was named “Fighter of the Year” by Ring Magazine 5 times, more than any other boxer, and remains the only 3-time lineal world heavyweight champion, having won the title in 1964, 1974, and 1978;

     

    WHEREAS, Muhammad Ali announced that he had Parkinson's disease in 1984 but would not let the disease slow down his spirit and spent most of his time traveling as an ambassador for human rights;

    WHEREAS, as a philanthropist, Muhammad Ali raised millions of dollars for Parkinson’s research, distributed meals to homeless families in the United States, and participated in the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Special Olympics;

    WHEREAS, in 1990, Muhammad Ali was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame;

    WHEREAS, in 1996, Muhammad Ali was granted the honor of lighting the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony of the centennial Olympic Games, creating one of the most emotional, touching, and iconic moments in Olympic history;

    WHEREAS, in 1997, Muhammad Ali received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, one of the most prestigious awards in sports;

    WHEREAS, in 1998, Muhammad Ali was chosen to be a United Nations Messenger of Peace because of his work in developing nations;

    WHERERAS, Ring Magazine named Muhammad Ali No. 1 in a 1998 ranking of greatest heavyweights from all eras;

    WHEREAS, in 1999, Muhammad Ali was voted the No. 1 heavyweight of the 20th century by The Associated Press, was named "Kentucky Athlete of the Century" by the Kentucky Athletic Hall of Fame, and Time magazine named him one of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century;

    WHERERAS, in 2005, the Muhammad Ali Center, a multicultural center with an award-winning museum dedicated to the life of Muhammad Ali, opened in Louisville, Kentucky;

    WHEREAS, in 2005, Muhammad Ali received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush;

    WHEREAS, in 2007, Muhammad Ali cofounded “Athletes for Hope”, a nonprofit organization that promotes charitable causes amongst athletes;

    WHEREAS, in 2009, Muhammad Ali received the President's Award from the NAACP for his public service efforts;

    WHEREAS, in 2012, Muhammad Ali was the recipient of the National Constitution Center Liberty Medal;

    WHEREAS, in 2015, Muhammad Ali was inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame;

    WHEREAS, Muhammad Ali will be posthumously inducted into the California Boxing Hall of Fame on October 22, 2016;

    WHEREAS, Muhammad Ali died on June 3, 2016, in Phoenix, Arizona at 74 years of age, after a courageous 32-year battle with Parkinson's disease, leaving behind a monumental legacy, inside and outside of the ring.

    RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “Muhammad Ali Legacy Recognition Resolution of 2016”.

    Sec. 2.  The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes, honors, and celebrates the life and legacy of Muhammad Ali for his commitment to the sport of boxing, his devotion to his faith and his beliefs, his philanthropic efforts, and his lasting impact on the world. 

    Sec. 3. This resolution shall take into effect immediately upon the first date of publication in the District of Columbia Registrar.