Muhammad Ali

Today, Muhammad Ali is a world-renowned celebrity, who has weathered the storms of terrible controversies and emerged as a national icon. Even the greatest modern boxers live in his shadow. At the same time, he stands as a symbol of principle in the face of adversity, a crusader for civil rights who risked everything to maintain his religious freedom and his right to dissent from U.S. government policy. Even while struggling against Parkinson's Disease, which plays havoc with his speech and coordination, he continues to travel around the world, most recently as a UN peace envoy to Afghanistan. He has also worked at establishing the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, a non-private community center, which is scheduled to open in 2003.