Randy Roberts
Author
Description
Joe Louis defended his heavyweight boxing title an astonishing 25 times and reigned as world champion for more than 11 years. He received more column inches of newspaper coverage in the 1930s than FDR did. His racially and politically charged victory over Max Schmeling in 1938 made Louis a national hero. But as important as his record was, what he meant to African Americans at a time when the boxing ring was the only venue where black and white could...
Author
Description
"In 1962, boxing writers and fans considered Cassius Clay an obnoxious self-promoter, and few believed that he would become the heavyweight champion of the world. But Malcolm X, the most famous minister in the Nation of Islam--a sect many white Americans deemed a hate cult--saw the potential in Clay, not just for boxing greatness, but as a means of spreading the Nation's message. The two became fast friends, keeping their interactions secret from...