On April 28, 1967, heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali refused induction into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Citing his religious beliefs and opposition to the war, he declined to step forward when his name was called. The government stripped him of his boxing title and banned him from boxing for several years. Ali faced criminal charges and a prison sentence, which he appealed. In 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction. His stand became an important part of both anti-war and civil-rights history.
