# Event Details - **Event Name**: Author Talk: Joe Louis's Battle for Freedom During WWII - **Event Start and End Date**: Sun, 16 Nov, 2025 at 02:00 pm – Sun, 16 Nov, 2025 at 04:00 pm - **Event Description**: Historians Johnny Smith and Randy Roberts tell the story of heavyweight champion Joe Louis’s battles both in and out of the ring.About this EventSports historians Johnny Smith and Randy Roberts will be visiting Detroit to discuss their book The Fight of His Life: Joe Louis’s Battle for Freedom During World War II (2025, Basic Books). During the 1930s and 1940s, no African American athlete commanded the spotlight more than heavyweight boxer Joe Louis, who spent much of his life in Detroit. His 1938 knockout victory over German Max Schmeling struck an early blow against Nazi Germany. But it was Louis’s service in the looming war that transformed him from a patriotic role model into history’s first prominent Black athlete turned activist.Expertly revising the life story of one of America’s most iconic Black athletes, Smith and Roberts’s biography celebrates Joe Louis’s forgotten fight against fascism abroad and racism at home.About The Authors:Johnny Smith is the J.C. “Bud” Shaw Professor of Sports History at Georgia Tech. He is the author of Jumpman, and co-author of The Fight of His Life, War Fever, A Season in the Sun, and Blood Brothers. He lives in Atlanta, Georgia.Randy Roberts is distinguished professor of history at Purdue University. An award-winning author, he focuses on the intersection of popular and political culture, and has written or co-written biographies of such iconic athletes and celebrities as Jack Johnson, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, Bear Bryant, Oscar Robertson, John Wayne and Muhammad Ali, as well as books on the Vietnam War, the Alamo, the 1973-1974 college basketball season, and West Point football during World War II. A Season in the Sun is the second book he has written with Johnny Smith. Roberts lives in Lafayette, Indiana.Copies of the book will be available for purchase. This is NOT a ticketed event, so seats will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Register on Eventbrite to receive important updates about this event.Questions? Email msummers@detroitpubliclibrary.org. - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/detroit/author-talk-joe-louiss-battle-for-freedom-during-wwii/100001559891931759 - **Event Categories**: Art, literary-art, Sports - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: USD ## Event venue details - **city**: Detroit - **state**: MI - **country**: United States - **location**: Main | Detroit Public Library - **lat**: 42.3585434 - **long**: -83.0667773 - **full address**: Main | Detroit Public Library, 5201 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, United States ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Author Talk: Joe Louis's Battle for Freedom During WWII - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/040ae025cdf334d08f4632d2d36840e458d8ef3ac532156a74f4f8e4b0e5400e-rimg-w1200-h600-dc1a1b19-gmir.jpg?v=1755162579 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Author Talk: Joe Louis's Battle for Freedom During WWII being held? - **A:** Author Talk: Joe Louis's Battle for Freedom During WWII takes place on Sun, 16 Nov, 2025 at 02:00 pm to Sun, 16 Nov, 2025 at 04:00 pm at Main | Detroit Public Library, 5201 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, United States. - **Q**: Who is organizing Author Talk: Joe Louis's Battle for Freedom During WWII? - **A:** Author Talk: Joe Louis's Battle for Freedom During WWII is organized by Main | Detroit Public Library. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Author Talk: Joe Louis's Battle for Freedom During WWII is ideal for sports fans, athletes, fitness enthusiasts, and anyone who loves the thrill of live competitive action and the energy of a crowd. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Detroit, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Author Talk: Joe Louis's Battle for Freedom During WWII sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "Author Talk: Joe Louis's Battle for Freedom During WWII", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/040ae025cdf334d08f4632d2d36840e458d8ef3ac532156a74f4f8e4b0e5400e-rimg-w1200-h600-dc1a1b19-gmir.jpg?v=1755162579", "startDate": "2025-11-16", "endDate": "2025-11-16", "url": "https://allevents.in/detroit/author-talk-joe-louiss-battle-for-freedom-during-wwii/100001559891931759", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Main | Detroit Public Library", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "5201 Woodward Avenue", "postalCode": "48202", "addressLocality": "Detroit", "addressRegion": "MI", "addressCountry": "US" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "42.3585434", "longitude": "-83.0667773" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "Historians Johnny Smith and Randy Roberts tell the story of heavyweight champion Joe Louis’s battles both in and out of the ring.", "offers": [ { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-10-12", "availabilityEnds": "2025-11-16", "validFrom": "2026-10-12", "lowPrice": "0.00", "highPrice": "0.00", "price": "0.00", "url": "https://allevents.in/detroit/author-talk-joe-louiss-battle-for-freedom-during-wwii/100001559891931759" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "USD", "availabilityStarts": "2026-10-12", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-10-12", "url": "https://allevents.in/detroit/author-talk-joe-louiss-battle-for-freedom-during-wwii/100001559891931759", "price": 0, "name": "Register for Reminders!" } ], "organizer": [ { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Main Detroit Public Library", "url": "https://allevents.in/org/main-detroit-public-library/22506338", "description": "The Detroit Public Library enlightens and empowers people by providingDiverse andDynamicPathways toLiteracy andLearning.  The Library will be a vital force for promoting literacy, expanding the mind, creating opportunities for individuals and building community.If you require any further information about an event, please do not hesitate to contact the event organizer directly at the email provided for that event. We kindly request that you refrain from utilizing the \"Ask A Question\" feature, as it may cause delays in receiving a response. The event organizer will be more than happy to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have. Thank you for your cooperation and we look forward to your participation at our events!" } ] } ] ```