It was 55 years ago this month when Muhammad Ali and a group of leading African American athletes, including Browns running back legend Jim Brown, held a news conference in Cleveland after Ali refused to serve in the United States military in Vietnam.
Ali used his boxing platform to talk about the war abroad and what was going on in America. He said, “Why should they ask me to put on a uniform and go 10,000 miles from home and drop bombs and bullets on Brown people in Vietnam while so-called Negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs?”
Many of the men at the summit had military backgrounds, and did not agree with Ali’s beliefs, but when he wouldn’t budge after hours of questioning, they decided to stand by him during a press conference after the summit. The historical marker will be placed in front of what is now the home of the American Cancer Society at 10501 Euclid Avenue.
Last year, a virtual panel discussed the impact of the historic Cleveland Summit on athlete activism. Watch the video in the media player below: