On June 20, 1967, heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali was convicted in a Houston federal court for violating the Selective Service Act. Ali had refused induction into the U.S. Army, citing his religious beliefs as a member of the Nation of Islam and his opposition to the Vietnam War. He was sentenced to five years in prison and fined $10,000. The conviction led to the stripping of his boxing titles and suspension of his license. Ali\’s stance became a significant moment in the civil rights and anti-war movements, highlighting issues of religious freedom and conscientious objection. In 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously overturned his conviction. Word In Black
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