Joe Louis was a professional boxer who held the world heavyweight title from 1937 to 1949. He was born in Alabama, but moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1926. Joe Louis was known for his boxing career and for being an important figure in the civil rights movement. He was also known for his involvement in the Detroit community, including his role as the namesake of the Joe Louis ARENA, a sports and entertainment ARENA located in downtown Detroit. The ARENA was opened in 1979 and was home to the Detroit Red Wings hockey team until 2017.