BLACK IN TIME: A Moment In OUR History

Hugh Gaddy · Monday, June 22nd 2009 at 12:52AM · 118 views

Joe Louis

On The Night Of June 22, 1938, Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Joe Louis, And Former German Heavyweight Champion, Max Schmeling, Met For The Second Time In The Boxing Ring. The Fight Was Held In Yankee Stadium Before A Crowd Of 70,043 And broadcast To Millions of Radio Listeners Throughout The World. It Took Louis Only 2 Minutes And 4 Seconds To Beat Schmeling. Subsequently, And For A Time, The "Brown Bomber" Was A Hero In Segregated America's Black And White Communities. Between The 1936 Loss To Schmeling And The 1938 Rematch, Joe Louis Had Become Heavyweight Champion By Beating James J. Braddock. In 1937. The Rematch Was Both Politically And Socially Important To America Because In 1936 Schmeling Handed Louis His First Professional Loss, Became A National Hero And Germany's Symbol For The Doctrine Of Of "Aryan Superiority." Many Blacks Saw This And Other Louis Fights As Literally "Striking A Blow" At White Racism And Opression.. For Several Years Following Louis/Schmeling II, Louis Continued To Fight And America Exploited His Talents And Reputation As An "Acceptable Negro." He Began A Period Of Service In The Army And Worked As A Physical Education Teacher. He Retired In 1949 -- Still The Undefeated Champion. Succumbing To Financial Pressures And Government Debts, Louis Was Forced Back Into The Ring In 1950. A Series Of Losses Followed -- Including Defeats To Ezzard Charles And Rocky Marciano. Joe Louis Still Holds The Distinction Of Having Successfully Defended His Title More Times Than Any Other Heavyweight In History. He Knocked Out Five World Champions And Is Considered By Many, The Greatest Heavyweight Champion In Boxing History. It Should Also Be Noted That Joe Louis, Who Also Has A Passion For Golf, Joined The Professional Golfers Association In 1952And Became The First Black American To Play In A PGA Sanctioned Event. Joseph Louis Barrow Was Born May 13, 1914, In La Fayette, Alabama, He Died Of A Heart Attack, April 12, 1981. He Was 66 Years Old.On August 26, 1982, Louis Was Posthumously Approved For The Congressional Gold Medal, The Highest Award Given To Civilians By The U.S. Legislative Branch. "In Order For Black History To Live, We Must Continue To Breathe Life Into It."-- Hubert Gaddy, Jr.

BLACK IN TIME: A Moment In OUR History

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