The late boxing legend Joe Louis is set to be honored with a new statue in Detroit that celebrates his contributions to equestrian sports rather than boxing. Detroit ACE has invited artists to submit proposals for the "Outside the Ring" sculpture, with a $175,000 commission and a submission deadline of December 30, according to the City of Detroit.
Louis, who bought Spring Hill Farm in 1939, helped create opportunities for African Americans in horse riding and organized the nation’s first All-Negro Horse Show. The statue is intended to showcase this lesser-known part of his legacy, emphasizing his role as a trailblazer both in and beyond sports, as reported by the City of Detroit.
The City of Detroit’s Office of Arts and Culture plans to unveil a new statue of Joe Louis, featuring a horse to reflect his equestrian legacy, with the location and timing—either 2026 or 2027—still undecided. "The Louis Family is honored that the City of Detroit’s Office of Arts and Culture is creating a new statue recognizing Joe Louis’s historic contributions to equestrian sports," said Joyce Barrow Henderson, Louis's daughter. The project is part of Mayor Mike Duggan's Blight to Beauty initiative and joins other Detroit ACE statues, including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson. Artists can submit proposals for the Joe Louis statue to [email protected] with the required materials.
