Ali to become 1st ex-athlete to receive Liberty Medal

Muhammad Ali will be honored as the 24th recipient of the Liberty Medal on Sept. 13 at the National Constitution Center at Philadelphia's Independence Hall.

The National Constitution Center is the national headquarters of the Constitution's 225th anniversary celebration, and part of the celebration includes honoring Ali with the Liberty Medal, which is awarded to individuals of courage and conviction who strive to secure the blessings of liberty to people around the globe.

Among the past winners of the Liberty Medal are former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, movie director Steven Spielberg, former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter, Mikhail Gorbachev, Colin Powell, Sandra Day O'Connor and Nelson Mandela.

Ali is the first former athlete to be awarded the Liberty Medal.

It is incredibly fitting that Muhammad Ali, a representative for , the bicentennial of the Constitution, be awarded the prestigious Liberty Medal in 2012, as the nation celebrates the 225th anniversary of our founding document, former President Bill Clinton, Chair of the National Constitution Center and past Liberty Medal recipient, said in a statement. Ali embodies the spirit of the Liberty Medal by embracing the ideals of the Constitution - freedom, self-governance, equality, and empowerment - and helping to spread them across the globe.

As well as being a gold-medal winner and one of the greatest boxers in history, Ali has been an outspoken advocate of religious and civil rights domestically and throughout the world.

When selected for the military draft, he became a conscientious objector. He took his battle to the Supreme Court and won, even though it cost him his boxing title and time in the ring.

Ali, who turns 70 this year, has been an ambassador for peace and justice worldwide throughout his adult life. He has become an advocate for those suffering from Parkinson's disease, a disease that has afflicted Ali.

He was selected in 1987 by the California Bicentennial Foundation for the U.S. Constitution to personify the meaning of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.

Muhammad Ali symbolizes all that makes America great, while pushing us as a people and as a nation to be better,' National Constitution Center President and CEO David Eisner, said in a statement. Each big fight of his life has inspired a new chapter of civic action. We look forward to welcoming him back to the Center, particularly during this momentous 225th anniversary year.

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Ali to become 1st ex-athlete to receive Liberty Medal