1978: NOAA announces gender-neutral hurricane naming system
Federal News Network presents a daily update of important moments in the history of the U.S. government.
On April 28, 1967, Muhammad Ali refused to be inducted into the Army, citing religious reasons, and was immediately stripped of his heavyweight boxing title. Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., Ali changed his name in 1964 after converting to Islam. He scored a gold medal at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome and made his professional boxing debut against Tunney Husaker on October 29, 1960, winning the bout in six rounds. On February 25, 1964, he defeated the heavily favored bruiser Sonny Liston in six rounds to become heavyweight champ. With the U.S. at war in Vietnam, Ali refused to be inducted into the armed forces, saying “I ain’t got no quarrel with those Vietcong.” On June 20 he was convicted of draft evasion, sentenced to five years in prison, fined $10,000 and banned from boxing for three years. He stayed out of prison as his case was appealed and returned to the ring on Oct. 26, 1970. On June 28, 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction for evading the draft.
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