"I am America. I am the part you won’t recognize. But get used to me—black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own. Get used to me." -- Muhammad Ali (1942-2016)
NEW YORK (June 4, 2016) -- The National Urban League and the Urban League Movement join the family of Muhammad Ali and the rest of the nation in mourning the loss of the nation's most iconic athlete and civil rights activist, President and CEO Marc H. Morial said today.
"I believe Muhammad Ali was the greatest athlete of the 20th century," Morial said. "Whether he was the greatest boxer in history may be debated for generations. But none has had a greater impact on American culture and social justice."
Morial noted that when Ali was barred from boxing after he refused to serve in the Vietnam War, he toured college campuses to speak on behalf of the civil rights movement.
"Few would choose to face imprisonment rather than violate their principles, and even fewer would meet the loss of livelihood by devoting themselves to social justice.
"We offer our heartfelt condolences and prayers to his family," Morial said.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Teresa Candori (National Urban League):
212-558-5362 | tcandori@nul.org
