Unsigned Draft Card of Muhammad Ali Up for Auction
Muhammad Ali's unsigned draft card, a symbol of defiance during the Vietnam War, is set to go under the hammer at Christie's auction house. The historic document, obtained by Christie's from Ali's descendants, will be on public display at Rockefeller Center in New York from October 1 to October 21.
The draft card, issued on the day the draft board in Louisville ordered Ali to appear for induction, carries significant historical value and is part of popular culture. The top of the card reads "(AKA) Muhammad Ali," and although it bears the signature of the local draft board chairman, it lacks the signature of the boxing legend himself.
Ali refused to sign his Vietnam-era military draft card in 1967, a move that led to his conviction for draft evasion. He appealed his conviction on the grounds that he was a Muslim minister and famously declared, "I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong." The U.S. Supreme Court overturned his conviction on an 8-0 vote a few months after the "Fight of the Century" between Ali and Joe Frazier in 1971.
During his banishment, Ali spoke at colleges and briefly appeared in a Broadway musical. Three years after his banishment, he was allowed to resume boxing. The draft card, which has a value estimated to be between $3 million and $5 million, represents an act of defiance that resonated with millions around the world.
Christie's describes the draft card as a vital and intimate document connected to one of the most important figures of the last century. The auction will take place online from October 10-28. The draft card, which has Marcellus misspelled as Marcilus on the card due to a clerical error, is a testament to Ali's unwavering stance against the Vietnam War and his enduring legacy.
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