At that time, Louis had been the champion since 1937, defeating James J. Braddock for the belt. Along the way, Louis became an American hero, one of the first African-Americans to do so as he turned back challenger after challenger, including Max Schmeling, who resided in Nazi Germany and handed Louis his first loss in 1936.

Louis’ defeat of Schmeling had international ramifications, and by defeating the face of German athletics, it was a prognostication of the politics and conflict to come. He held his championship until he retired in 1949, and while he made a comeback and failed to regain his title, his legacy was never tarnished.

One of the best quotes in sports journalism was by famed New York writer Jimmy Cannon, who responded to another reporter's characterization of Louis as "a credit to his race." Cannon responded with the most precise lines in sports, "Yes, Joe Louis is a credit to his race – the human race."

We are proud to nominate Joe Louis for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.