Cassius Clay Becomes World Heavyweight Boxing Champion
Feb25

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Cassius Clay Becomes World Heavyweight Boxing Champion

Posted on Feb 25, 2023 in Sports | 2 comments

   1870 – Hiram R. Revels of Mississippi sworn in as first Black U.S. senator and the first Black representative in Congress. Revels, a Republican politician, educator and minister of an African Methodist Episcopal Church was born in North Carolina and later lived in Ohio before moving to Mississippi to serve in the U.S. Congress during the Reconstruction Era.

1948 – Martin Luther King Jr is ordained as a Baptist minister at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia.

1964 – Cassius Clay becomes world heavyweight boxing champion, defeating Sonny Liston in Miami Beach, Florida. Liston was an 8-1 favorite in the match but Clay took control of the fight early. At the end of the fourth round, however, Clay complained that his eyes were burning (probably from slave that was used to close a cut under Liston’s eye. After his eyes cleared, Clay took control, punching the champion at will.  Liston failed to answer the bell for the seventh round, and Clay was declared the winner by technical knockout. Ali jumped upon the ropes screaming “I shook up the world… I shook up the world!”

1975 – Elijah Muhammad Dies. Muhammad had served as the leader of the Nation of Islam in Chicago, Illinois for more than 40 year and was succeeded by his son, Wallace D. Muhammad.
1978 – Daniel “Chappie” James Jr. Dies. James, the United States first Black four-star General in the Armed Forces, retired as from the U.S. Air Force general just three weeks before his death from a heart attack. He began his career as a fighter pilot, after attending the Tuskegee Institute. He flew combat missions during the Korean War and Vietnam War, and was honored with numerous medals, including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, two Air Force Distinguished Service Medals, two Legion of Merits, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, Meritorious Service Medal and fourteen Air Medals.