When Joe Louis faced off against Max Schmeling in 1938, the whole world was abuzz. Two years before, the German Schmeling had defeated the African-American boxer, leading Nazis to brag that Aryans were indeed the superior race. Given this, the rematch was viewed as both a face off between the U.S. and Nazi Germany and a face off between blacks and Aryans. Before the Louis-Schmeling rematch, the German boxer’s publicist even bragged that no black man could defeat Schmeling. Louis proved him wrong. In just over two minutes, Louis triumphed over Schmeling, knocking him down three times during the Yankee Stadium bout. After his win, blacks across America rejoiced.