DETROIT – The famous Joe Louis Fist is no longer the only bronze statue in Detroit depicting the local boxing great.
A second Joe Louis statue has been erected in the city, located at a new section of the 27-mile Joe Louis Greenway at Grand River near Oakman Boulevard.
The new segments of the Greenway are located between Joy Road and Intervale Street, adding two new miles of greenway north of the section between Warren Avenue and Joy Road, which opened in 2023.
This new statue, created by artist Austen Brantley, honors Joe Louis’ barrier-breaking work in the world of golf.
“The spirit that never quits, that’s what this statue means to me, “said Joyce Barrow-Henderson, daughter of Joe Louis. “Not only for golfers, but for families, for children, for dreamers… for every person who knows that greatness does not come from winning every fight. It comes from getting back up again, again, and again.”
Louis was the first African American to play in a PGA-sanctioned tournament when he was invited to play in the San Diego Open as an amateur in 1952.
Between 1941 and 1951, Louis held eight “Joe Louis Open” events in Detroit, attracting many of the top Black golfers from around the country.
With the opening of this segment of the Greenway, nearly six miles are now open. Another six miles of the Greenway are expected to be completed by the end of 2026.
“The Joe Louis Greenway is transforming miles of blight and creating beauty and recreational opportunities, while connecting neighborhoods in a new way,” said Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan. “We named the greenway after Joe Louis because of his incredible contributions in and outside of the ring and I’m thrilled to be here with his daughter, Joyce, to unveil the beautiful new statue of her father.”
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