jack johnson, the first black man to become world heavyweight champion, was pardoned on thursday by president donald trump. johnson was convicted in 1913 of violating the mann act.
trump said last month he was considering the pardon after receiving a call from actor sylvester stallone. "i am taking this very righteous step, i believe, to correct a wrong that occurred in our history and to honor a truly legendary boxing champion. it's my honor to do it. it's about time," trump said at an oval office ceremony.
the u.s. department of justice began investigating johnson after the mann act became law in 1910. the law made it a felony to transport across state lines, "any woman or girls for the purpose of prostitution or debauchery, or for any other immoral purpose." johnson was convicted by an all-white jury and served 10 months in prison.
the mann act's purpose was to stop human sex trafficking, but the broad language allowed for it to be used to prosecute men for extramarital, interracial and premarital relationships - even if they were consensual.
johnson finished with a career 73-13-10 record and was inducted into the international boxing hall of fame in 1990. johnson won the unofficial black heavyweight championship in 1903, and defeated canadian boxer tommy burns in december 1908 with a tko in the 14th round to become the first black man to hold the world heavyweight championship.
johnson dominated jim jeffries - the latest to be dubbed "the great white hope" - in taking a 15th round tko in july 1910. the bout took place in reno, nevada, was called "the fight of the century" but also led to deadly race riots across the country.
jeffries, the former champ who came out of retirement for this fight despite being well past his prime, said, "i could never have whipped johnson at my best. i couldn't have hit him. no, i couldn't have reached him in 1,000 years."
johnson was born in galveston, texas in 1878. his parents were enslaved africans who instilled confidence in their son. johnson was an imposing, strong and powerful man with a bald head and dark skin. he infuriated whites for taunting his opponents in the ring, driving fancy cars, wearing furs and openly dating white women.
johnson died in a 1946 car crash in north carolina at age 68.
i am
- mark j. tuggle
- harlem, usa
- same-gender-loving contemporary descendant of enslaved africans. community activist, feminist, health educator, independent filmmaker, mentor, playwright, poet & spiritual being. featured at, in & on africana.com, afrikan poetry theatre, angel herald, bejata dot com, bet tonight with tavis smiley, blacklight online, black noir, brooklyn moon cafe, gmhc's barbershop, klmo-fm, lgbt community services center, longmoor productions, nuyorican poets cafe, our corner, poz, pulse, rolling out new york, rush arts gallery, saint veronica's church, schomburg center for research in black culture, sexplorations, the citizen, the new york times, the soundz bar, the trenton times, the village voice, upn news, uzuri, venus, vibe, wbai-fm, wnyc-fm & wqht-fm. volunteered with adodi, bailey house, inc., black men's xchange-new york, colorofchange.org, drug policy alliance, east harlem tutorial program, imagenation film & music festival, presente.org, save darfur coalition, the enough project, the osborne association, the sledge group & your black world. worked on films with maurice jamal & heather murphy. writing student of phil bertelsen & ed bullins. mjt975@msn.com.
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