This controversial Esquire magazine cover, from the April 1968 issue, shows Muhammad Ali martyred as St. Sebastian, a patron saint of athletes who was shot with arrows for his steadfast religious beliefs.  This was the second of three covers Esquire printed in defense of Ali, who refused to be inducted into the U.S. Army largely based on his religious beliefs.  Subequently, Ali was convicted of violating the Selective Service Act and was barred from the ring and stripped of his title.  This cover was designed by George Lois, Esquires Art Director during the 1960s.

This piece of ephemera could be used in conjunction with any number of social studies topics.  In terms of discussing citizenship, students could debate whether individual rights, in this case religion, should supersede federal law, like the Selective Service Act.  An exploration of Ali's stance on Vietnam could be used to show the concurrence of multiple movements within US History.  This piece could also be used as a continuing exploration of issues of race, class, and/or militarism in US History.