Spirit of Youth (1938)

The story of the rise of boxer Joe Thomas, which paralleled the life of Joe Louis. Head of the Production Code office Joseph Breen warned that the film might not get played in the South because it depicted a black man (Joe Louis) defeating several white men in boxing matches.

Cast (IMDB): Joe Louis as Joe Thomas; Clarence Muse as Frankie Walburn; Edna Mae Harris as Mary Bowdin; Mae Turner as Flora Bailey; Cleo Desmond as Nora Thomas; Mantan Moreland as Creighton 'Crickie' Fitzgibbons; Jewel Smith as Duke Emerald; Tom Southern as Dr. Bowdin; Jess Lee Brooks as Jeff Thomas (as Jesse Lee Brooks); Marguerite Whitten as Eleanor Thomas (as Margaret Whitten); Clarence Brooks as Speedy; The Plantation Chior as Themselves; The Creole Chorus as Themselves; The Big Apple Dancers as Themselves; Lennie Bluett as Dancer (uncredited); Stanley Blystone as Storage and Transfer Co. Boss (uncredited); Mildred Boyd as Chorus Girl / Dancer (uncredited); Willie Callahan as Boxing Opponent (uncredited); Noble 'Kid' Chissel as Reporter (uncredited); Lester Dorr as Bob - Newspaper Columnist (uncredited); Joel Fluellen as Kitchen Worker (uncredited); Mildred Gover as Friend of Mrs. Thomas (uncredited); Alfred Grant as Waiter (uncredited); Kit Guard as Barfly (uncredited); Seal Harris as Sparring Partner (uncredited); Bob Kortman as Tommy Bright (uncredited); Pat McKee as Referee James Murphy (uncredited); Tommie Moore as Nightclub Extra (uncredited); Janette O'Dell as Mary Bowdin as a Child (uncredited); Lee Phelps as Ring Announcer (uncredited); Anthony Scott as Joe Thomas as a Child (uncredited).

More Information:
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0030781/
Internet Archive: http://archive.org/details/SpiritofYouth