No society has received more immigrants than the United States in the history of mankind. Adding to the timely and significant conversation of immigration, HISTORY—in partnership with A&E Networks—is premiering a two-day, four-part non-fiction event series called America: Promised Land, on Monday, May 29 and Tuesday, May 30 at 9 PM EST/8 PM CST. Per an official press release, the series will showcase the chronological peopling of America through their journey of a lifetime, celebrating the American dream and the various immigrant populations over time that have helped transform this nation.
“Everybody has a story. Everybody comes from somewhere,” said Jana Bennett, President and General Manager of HISTORY. “Our ancestors were driven by opportunity and a vision for a new world. America: Promised Land is a timely series that will educate viewers on the successive waves of immigration that helped create the cultural fabric of America and show how far we have come.”
One particular story is that of legendary boxer Joe Louis Barrow, best known as Joe Louis and nicknamed the “Brown Bomber.” Considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of all time, Louis’ impact spread beyond the ring, becoming a focal point of anti-Nazi sentiment throughout World War II. We sat down with his son, Joe Louis Barrow, Jr. (featured in the series) about his father’s overall legacy, the family’s journey during the Great Migration and his commitment to paying it forward for future generations.
Blavity: Thank you Mr. Barrow for joining us today. Joe Louis’ presence in national boxing was newsworthy enough, but of course he took it a step further and actually dominated, inserting himself into not just Black history but American history. Can you tell us a bit about his overall larger legacy and how that balanced his role as a father?
Joe Louis Barrow, Jr.: All of America was coming off the post-Depression of the '30s and '40s and to be a “have-not”—as I would call my father—rising to the pinnacle of his profession at that time, was a benefit to him. And I believe he did so with a level of humility and grace. And all of those things collectively coming together resulted in the person that he turned out to be. As far as fatherhood is concerned, that level of success translated to me and I believe I’ve benefitted from it.
Blavity: You appeared in a segment of the series regarding the Great Migration, and noting the high tensions surrounding white and black citizens. For example, KKK standoffs and ambushes were not uncommon during the journey north, and your own parents experienced such. Can you talk a bit about the racial tensions your father faced and how that evolved to when you were born and living throughout civil rights movements?
JLBJ: Well, I think there’s a distinct difference between the north and south. I think the south and their prejudices were more open and more blatant. I grew up, as you know, in Chicago and the prejudices in Chicago—in the north—were more subtle. With the Great Migration, many African-Americans wanted the freedoms that the north provided. Even though the prejudices in the north were subtle, they were still better than the south. People wanted opportunities, and Ford Auto plants and other automobile plants provided that opportunity for African-Americans, and that’s why you saw the move to Detroit and other northern cities. Now, growing up in Chicago, while the prejudices were subtle, they were also very specific. There were places in Chicago that we couldn’t go, there were places that we couldn’t live and places that we couldn’t eat, even though there were no “Whites Only” signs. As for me growing up in Chicago, the prejudices faced in the north weren’t the same as the prejudices faced for a southern black person. So, as northern, I actually admired the southern blacks and had wanted to move south, but my parents wouldn’t let me.
Blavity: A good tagline for America: Promised Land is "Everyone has a story. Everyone comes from somewhere," as noted by President and General Manager of HISTORY, Jana Bennett. We’ve heard many different facets of your father’s story, so by extension, what is your story?
JLBJ: Well, as you know, I am the Chief Executive Officer of The First Tee, and one of the things that my father and mother shared with me during my young age is the importance of giving back. If you look at my father and my father’s career, he gave to his mother, his family, his friends, and people who were not his friends, in the sense that if someone walked up to him on the street and asked him for five dollars, he would give them twenty. The First Tee is one way that I have given back because the impact that we have had on young people is significant. I’ve been with First Tee now for seventeen years and I’ve seen young people who didn’t think they would have the opportunity to go to high school, graduate high school and college and then start their professional careers. I strive to instill core values and incorporating what we call “go-to teams”—my own go-to teams growing up being my aunts and uncles—for support.
Blavity: Piggybacking off that idea of mentoring young people and future generations, what would be your advice for young people moving forward, especially considering the happenings of the current administration.
JLBJ: I think it’s important for young people in America to have confidence in what they do, to have perseverance, respect for themselves and respect for others. What we’re seeing right now is a lack of respect. We also see the lack of responsibility. My advice would be to not give up; it’s very tough out here. And frankly, the younger generation has a tougher weight to hold than we did. Our parents used to call us at 10 o’clock at night asking us when we’re coming in, whereas the parents of today don’t want their children to go to park unaccompanied. That is unfortunate, to not experience life the way life is meant to be experienced. And that is the independence of freedom, to go where you want to go.
Blavity: How would you describe an ideal “promised land” for America, and by extension, the world?
JLBJ: I think it’s important for America, and the world, to give people their freedoms and to let people live the way they choose to live. And I don’t think that’s happening in the world, and I don’t think it’s happening in America. So, “the promised land” is allowing people to be who they are and contribute the way they want to contribute.
Blavity: What do you hope audiences take from the America: Promised Land series?
JLBJ: I believe it’s important for audiences to understand history, because if they do, there are parts of history they will repeat and other parts of history that they won’t repeat. I believe history plays an important role in understanding the direction that America should go. We shouldn’t necessarily dwell on the past as much as we should be educated by the past and use the past to forge our way into the future. That is the unique role that history plays in this series and I hope people come from this series knowing what really happened in America not too long ago and learning how to use the past to change what is happening today.
Blavity: I couldn’t have said it better myself! Any final thoughts?
JLBJ: I would like to note that, in regards to the Great Migration, there’s an idea that the people from the south were “running away” from something and I’d actually like to give it a positive spin in that they were actually moving forward towards opportunities in the north that weren’t available in the south.
Blavity: Thanks so much Mr. Barrow for taking the time to chat with us and I look forward to seeing the complete series!
JLBJ: Thank you, and I hope that I was able to provide an additional perspective to the series, as well as life.
America: Promised Land is produced by Nutopia for HISTORY. Jane Root and Dominic Crossley-Holland serve as executive producers for Nutopia. Michael Stiller is the executive producer for HISTORY. A+E Networks holds worldwide distribution rights for America: Promised Land.
This interview has been edited and condensed.
