The Black Informant | African American Commentary, News and Community Building

Lately, I have been doing some minor study on The Great Depression. This is a part of history that unfortunately many people in this generation has forgotten. I would encourage anybody who is not familiar with this era to do a quick search on the topic. Also, if you like old movies, check out the movie “The Grapes of Wrath”.
Many people think of Joe Louis as just one of the greatest boxers of our time. As true as that may be, he also was a man of great conviction:

When he earned over $371,000 in his first two years as a professional boxer, Louis immediately helped family and friends all over the country. For example, he voluntarily paid back to the government welfare payments his stepfather had received during the Great Depression. Later, he supplied a house for an elderly Indian on property he owned. He also bought needed uniforms for a group of black army officers. Louis wanted private citizens to solve many of the problems that Americans were increasingly turning to government to solve. He opposed many of President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal ( the beginning of government programs as we know it) and campaigned for Republican candidate Wendell Willkie for president in 1940. (link to page)

Sure, we all need help from time to time, however, Louis knew the damage that could be done to a person that lived in a society in which the ability to fight for himself was taken away.