Joe and Marva Louis postcard

Joe Louis was the heavyweight boxing champion from 1937 to 1949. He is considered to be one of the greatest boxers of all time. Marva Trotter married Joe Louis in 1935, they had two children and were divorced by 1949.

The Hayti Spectrum oral history project, conducted by interviewer Brenda L. Williams, explores life in the Hayti Community of Durham, N.C., from the 1920s to the 1960s. Also included are 37 folders of introductory materials compiled by the interviewer. These materials include newspaper clippings, church and funeral programs, photographs, and items related to some of the interviewees in the collection.