Before Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. became Muhammad Ali, the United States held in high esteem the heavyweight boxer Joe Louis who was a household name and a hero to all races despite being black. In 1935 he fought thirteen times gained media spotlight after knocking out former world heavyweight champion Primo Carnera in six rounds. This victory gave him a shot at the title held by former heavyweight champion Max Schmeling of Germany. Joe Louis enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942 and donated the prize money to military relief funds. Joe Louis has appeared in films including the 1938 movie Spirit of Youth, in which he played a boxer, and the 1953 Robert Gordon-directed movie about his life, The Joe Louis Story.

Source: The North Africa Journal April 12, 2018 19:30 UTC