The Poetics of Definition: Racial Representation in 20th Century America Joe Louis and the Construction of a Black American Hero, 1935-1945 -- Lauren Sklaroff - University of Virginia After his defeat by Schmelling, Louis made every attempt to restore his image as a champion by winning every fight over the next year. The most important fight in 1937, however would be for the heavyweight championship against reigning champion Jim Braddock. Both whites and blacks internalized the racial implications of a Louis victory; Shirley Povich of the Washington Post proposed that if "Nordic supremacy" were to be terminated, there would be no "national calamity." Povich drew a lengthy comparison between Louis and the "bad negro" Jack Johnson, who married white women, carelessly flaunted his money, and displayed a "blatant arrogance." Louis's modesty, according to Povich, made him a "big playful brown boy" and rendered him an acceptable champion, especially in contrast to Johnson. If a white man was to be defeated, Louis's humble character and selflessness allowed whites to be more tolerant of a black victor. Nevertheless, many whites clung to the hope of Jim Braddock's victory. A poem in the New York Post explained that Jim Braddock was the true champ while Louis was "Just a prune. . . another Guy named Joe." To the chagrin of many whites, Louis did defeat Braddock on June 22, 1937. The white press had praised Jim Braddock's abilities before the fight, they continued to commend his courage afterwards. A columnist's poem, "Taps for King Jim" used military metaphors to chronicle the heroism of the great white fighter. Praise for Braddock in the white press often obscured Louis's accomplishment; white disappointment led some journalists to revert to racial stereotyping. The Chicago Tribune presented Louis as a comic minstrel figure who "did a tap dance" after his victory. The black
press gave no indication that whites were miffed by Louis's victory.
In fact, many black papers devoted columns to the fact that both races
cheered Louis on and participated in celebrations afterwards. As the
Amsterdam News indicated, "all in all in Harlem, both black and
white celebrated a great occasion in a peaceful manner." (25)
Not just in Harlem and Chicago, but also in the South, the black press
stated that whites and blacks came together to applaud Louis. A Montgomery,
Alabama reporter declared Louis's victory as "the most remarkable
inter-racial development in recent years." This article reported
that whites and blacks listened to the fight together and discussed
it openly "without racial friction." |
 |