American hero: As heavyweight boxing champion of the world from 1937-1950, "the Brown Bomber" became one of the country's first African American heroes. He's pictured here at the site of a fellow classic, the Apollo Theatre. The Apollo was the premier venue for black entertainment from the 1930s through the 1970s, hosting nearly every jazz great of the period.

This picture is by artists Marvin and Morgan Smith; for more about the brothers, check times for the documentary For Posterity's Sake on the MetroLearning Channel.

Photo: M & M Smith, courtesy ITVS