Originally posted by Slugfester
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Louis taught White America to accept that a black man could be a dominate athlete.
Had there been no Louis first there would not have been a Jackie Robinson.
Jack Johnson had the opportunity to fill that role but was too narcissistic, allowing neither the Black nor White community to embrace him.
Harry Wills could have also filled the bill. Had he been given an opportunity. Wills was able to get New York City to embrace him as an uncrowned champion. Had he won the title I suspect he could have gotten the job done across the nation just as Louis did.
Unfortunately that opportunity fell in the wrong hands with Jack Johnson.
But in the end Louis got the job done. It needed doing, right or wrong.
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