By: Bill Buccalo
When The Monument to Joe Louis (The Fist) was first installed downtown Detroit, I didn’t have an appreciation for it. On first look, it seemed to send the wrong message. I saw one of violence in a city where violence was all too common. Over the years that sentiment changed and I began to see The Fist in a different light.
I see The Fist as a beautiful and inspiring piece of art. It represents resilience, power, triumph, grit, hard work, and determination. It’s a symbol of hope and a reminder of what’s possible for an underdog in a big dog’s world.
Joe Louis was an underdog in so many ways. He spent his teenage years growing up in Detroit’s Black Bottom neighborhood and boxing at the Brewster-Wheeler Rec. Center. He found great success and eventually boxed his way to world supremacy. Louis became a national hero and a symbol of American democracy and freedom in the years leading up to WWII, all the while fighting for racial equality.
Visiting The Fist: Located across from Hart Plaza at the intersection of Woodward Ave at Jefferson Ave. Woodward has been blocked off to traffic, making viewing The Fist up close much easier. You don’t have to dodge the traffic to take a pic.
About: The Fist is a 24 foot-long bronze sculpture weighing 8,000 lbs., and suspended by a 24 foot-high pyramid. It was designed by sculptor Robert Graham and poured by artist Rolf Kriken, and was dedicated October 16, 1986.
There is extensive public art near The Fist including The Spirit of Detroit, Passo di danza (One Woodward), Dodge Memorial Fountain and Transcending (Hart Plaza), and much more.
Click on The List to find nearby restaurants and The Map to help get around.
