Downtown in Cleveland in Cuyahoga County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Cleveland's Ali Summit
⎯⎯⎯
The Negro Industrial and Economic Union
| — | Cleveland Civil Rights Trail | — |
Photographed by Craig Doda, October 6, 2026
1. Cleveland's Ali Summit side of the marker
Cleveland's Ali Summit. Players of the Cleveland Browns gathered eleven Black professional athletes and future mayor Carl Stokes to discuss with boxer Muhammad Ali (January 17, 1942 - June 3, 2016) his refusal to serve in the Vietnam War. After their private meeting on June 4, 1967, the twelve men decided to "support Ali on principle" and held a lengthy national press conference. The boxer, considered the "greatest heavyweight of all time," garnered national scorn and paid a high price for his stance. Ali was arrested, found guilty of draft evasion, his passport confiscated, titles stripped, and U.S. boxing licenses suspended. The men in attendance also faced condemnation and threats. In 1971, the Supreme Court unanimously overturned Ali's conviction. The Cleveland Ali Summit is considered "one of the most important civil rights acts in sports history."
The Negro Industrial And Economic Union. The Negro Industrial and Economic Union (NIEU) hosted the Ali Summit at its Cleveland headquarters on 10501 Euclid Avenue. Founded in 1966 by National Football League players for the Cleveland Browns and other Black professional
this page online
Erected 2022 by Cleveland Restoration Society; Ohio History Connection. (Marker Number 153-18.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Industry & Commerce • Sports. A significant historical date for this entry is June 3, 1942.
Location. 41° 30.311′ N, 81° 41.926′ W. Marker is in Cleveland, Ohio, in Cuyahoga County. It is in Downtown. It is at the intersection of Alfred Lerner
Photographed by Craig Doda, October 6, 2026
2. The Negro Industrial and Economic Union side of the marker
Regionally, this marker is on the Lake Erie Shore and in the Western Reserve. It is also in the American Midwest. Globally, it is in North America, on the Great Lakes, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: War Savings Stamps (approx. 0.2 miles away); We Have Met the Enemy and They Are Ours (approx. 0.2 miles away); John T. Corrigan (approx. 0.2 miles away); Navy Bicentennial (approx. 0.2 miles away); Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry (approx. 0.2 miles away); Com. Oliver Hazard Perry (approx. 0.2 miles away); Samuel Huntington (approx. 0.2 miles away); Near this site Fort Huntington was Erected (approx. 0.2 miles away).
Photographed by Craig Doda, October 6, 2026
3. Cleveland's Ali Summit / The Negro Industrial and Economic Union Marker
Another marker is no longer nearby. Terry v. Ohio (was approx. 0.2 miles away but has been confirmed missing).
Photographed by Craig Doda, October 6, 2026
4. QR code on the marker's pole
Credits. This page was last revised on October 14, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 14, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 8 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 14, 2026, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.
