The Fight of His Life: Joe Louis’s Battle for Freedom During World War II by Randy Roberts & Johnny Smith

In this episode of Narrative Edge, you join hosts Peter Biello and Orlando Montoya to explore The Fight of His Life: Joe Louis’s Battle for Freedom During World War II by sports historians Johnny Smith of Georgia Tech and Randy Roberts. We trace how Joe Louis’s rise from boxing superstar to wartime goodwill ambassador collided with Jim Crow segregation, and how the postwar backlash against Black veterans helped push him toward more outspoken civil rights advocacy.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Dec 30, 2025

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The Fight of His Life: Joe Louis’s Battle for Freedom During World War II by Randy Roberts & Johnny Smith

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