For 12 years — longer than any fighter past or present — Joe Louis would be the undisputed king of boxing. So dominant, in fact, that the “Brown Bomber” transcended the stringent racial barriers of ...

Jack Johnson, the first Black heavyweight champion, defeated James J. Jeffries in 1910, sparking race riots across the U.S. Johnson's victory challenged white supremacy and had a lasting impact on ...

Louis enlisted in the Army in 1942, rising to the rank of sergeant. Kept stateside, he fought in hundreds of exhibition matches to entertain the troops and raise money for the military. (U.S. Army) ...