HR418 Summary

• Recognizes the achievements and legacy of Joe Louis, the legendary boxer born Joseph Louis Barrow on May 13, 1914, in LaFayette, Alabama.

• Documents Louis's boxing career including his amateur record of 50-4, his 1937 heavyweight championship, and his iconic July 22, 1938 knockout of Max Schmeling in two minutes and four seconds.

• Highlights Louis's 1936 loss to German boxer Max Schmeling and the subsequent rematch's symbolic significance during World War II as a battle between Nazi ideology and American values.

• Notes Louis's military service in the United States Army during World War II and his role in advancing desegregation in the military, including assisting Jackie Robinson and other African-American soldiers in gaining admission to Officer Candidate School.

• Directs the Alabama House of Representatives to recognize Louis as a national treasure and native son, with a copy of the resolution provided to the Mayor of LaFayette.