Fighting

In The Black Metropolis, we learn about Joe Louis and his rise to fame. Becoming as famous and popular as Louis was is easy in boxing; all you have to do is win. Louis did this very well, with an overall record of 65 wins and 3 losses, with the majority of his wins coming from knockouts. This incredible winning record shot Louis up on the popularity scale, making him a national hero.

He was supported by Franklin Roosevelt and met him at the White House. Almost every newspaper supported him making him one of America’s largest media celebrities of the time. To become such a celebrity, for blacks and whites alike, in the time Joe Louis did is an amazing feat. It gave African Americans something to celebrate towards a time of equality. He became a hero for all of America, including being used in war propaganda. Even when he fought white men, the media depicted Louis as the hero fighting against a monster. This type of fame is hard to achieve in any time period, but Joe Louis found a way to do it in one of the hardest times in history.