Jack Johnson, the FIRST Heavyweight Champion of the World

Jack Johnson, whose full name was John Arthur “Jack” Johnson, was an African American boxer who is best known for becoming the first Black world heavyweight boxing champion. He was born on March 31, 1878, in Galveston, Texas, and he passed away on June 10, 1946.

Jack Johnson’s boxing career took place during a time of widespread racial discrimination and segregation in the United States, particularly in the early 20th century. Despite the racial barriers, Johnson rose to prominence as a highly skilled and charismatic fighter.

On December 26, 1908, Johnson achieved his historic victory when he defeated Tommy Burns in a fight in Sydney, Australia, for the heavyweight championship. This made him the first Black man to hold the world heavyweight title. Johnson’s victory had significant racial implications, and it stirred controversy and racial tensions in the United States.

Johnson’s reign as champion was marked by his flamboyant lifestyle, his penchant for fast cars, and his relationships with white women. His relationships with white women, in particular, led to legal troubles, as many states had laws against interracial relationships at the time. In 1913, he was convicted under the Mann Act (a law that prohibited the transportation of women across state lines for immoral purposes) for his relationship with a white woman, which led him to flee the country.

In 1915, Johnson lost his title to Jess Willard in a fight in Havana, Cuba. After losing the title, Johnson was eventually imprisoned due to a conviction under the Mann Act, but afterwards, he continued to box professionally. He never regained his former prominence, due to the rampant racism and bigotry, and was never given another chance to regain the title. He eventually retired from boxing in 1938, a year after Joe Louis became the first Black champion since Johnson was champion. Note: Until Joe Louis, the professional heavyweight title was unofficially ‘barred’ from Black boxers, from 1915 until 1937.

Jack Johnson’s contributions to the sport of boxing and his role in breaking racial barriers had a lasting impact on the world of professional sports and the broader struggle for civil rights and racial equality in the United States. He was posthumously pardoned by President Donald Trump in 2018 for his 1913 Mann Act conviction.