It's a shame and wrong they did it to him, but they do it to everyone, including others who gave up money and time during WW 2. Bandleader Artie Shaw was in trouble with IRS like Louis, and like Louis he had toured for troops while he could have been in states making money. Even when Shaw was broke, and living in friend's apartment, IRS was STILL going after him. What I don't like is the insiutaion that Louis suffered from IRS because he was Black, or that some of it was not his own fault (or fault of his advisors) for falling behind on taxes.
I work as an accountant, and I've seen some of the worst excesses of the IRS against ordinary people. In the majority of the cases however, I have to say that it was the fault of those people for letting it get started. I don't know about Joe Louis's tax situation but I believe he should have given a pardon. He'd done so much for America's morale and pride during one of the most critical times in the world.
..ironic that the nazis dropped schmeling when he lost to louis, and the nazi irs crucified louis when he could no longer donate huge purses to the military. i would have liked to have seen a little more detail in the way the fascist irs double crossed the bomber. the full story is horrendous and unforgivable.
