The Story of Jack Johnson

The Story of Jack Johnson

Jack Johnson is one of the toughest boxers ever to live, having been knocked out only thrice throughout his professional career. He was born in Galveston, Texas, in 1878 and was the son of a slave. Johnson developed an interest in boxing when he was just a small boy. Initially, he participated in racially motivated tournaments among black men to entertain white people in Texas. However, he moved out of Texas in 1901 to pursue professional boxing since the sport was illegal in the state. From the outset, the star made it clear that he would not live in the traditional bubble, as he would parade his wealth to the chagrin of the white man. Jack Johnson survived a rough childhood and systemic racism to emerge as the best boxer to grace the sport.

Training

Due to limited finances, Jack Johnson did not receive the best training. Unlike the white competitors, he usually trained in less expensive hotels with limited facilities (Roberts, 1992). That was an obvious setback, but it did not stop him from giving his best. Observers indicate that he often appeared relaxed and displayed a positive attitude in training (Roberts, 1992). His poor lifestyle and habits also hindered Jack’s training. Typical boxers at the time were mostly athletic, but the case was different for Jack Johnson, who was inclined to fatness, cigarette smoking, and excessive drinking, but he still turned out to train successfully. Jack’s training habits show that he was quite a disciplined athlete who did not allow personal and economic weaknesses to affect his training routine. Notably, Johnson’s training routine was far from ideal, but he still turned out to fulfill his training targets daily.

Challenges

One of the major challenges Jack Johnson and other black boxers faced at the time was white boxers’ refusal to fight them. Often referring to them as ‘negroes,’ white boxers did not want to fight black boxers, probably because they were intimidated by black boxers’ height and weight (Brundage, 2011). Another motivation for not fighting black contenders was probably because white contenders did not want to irk their majority white audience, who felt that black boxers were lesser humans (Davies, 2017). At the time when Johnson was in his prime, racism in the US was at its peak, and the sporting industry was not spared. The racist culture had penetrated the system to the extent that some white boxers would forgo potential profits to avoid fighting black boxers.

Besides the challenges faced in the sport, Johnson also came to loggerheads with authorities. At the time of Jack’s prime, the US federal government was racial and was irked by the athlete’s daring and rebellious spirit. For instance, in 1913, the athlete was targeted by a racially motivated backlash led by the US government after he beat Great White Hope (Davies, 2017). Johnson was convicted of inter-state prostitution emanating from the Mann Act, a vaguely drafted law in 1910 to control inter-state prostitution. Johnson took refuge in Europe, where he continued to defend some of his titles. It is clear that the federal government was uncomfortable with the athlete’s achievements in boxing and was ready to set up roadblocks on the boxer’s journey.

Moreover, Jack Johnson struggled with self-control and discipline in his social life. Following the athlete’s many achievements, success seemed to come to mind. For instance, he had this insatiable desire for white women, something that eventually led to his conviction. Additionally, Johnson started alienating himself from the black community following his achievements (Davies, 2017). His display of massive wealth without participating in a single project to support the black community distanced him from his majority black American fanbase. The athlete may have remained in competitive sport had he maintained high-level discipline.

Achievements

One of Johnson’s biggest achievements was the win against Canada’s Tommy Burns in 1908. Prior to the match, white players were not willing to compete with black players, but in this case, the contender needed a payday. Johnson was obliged to take on the opportunity that would make him a great player. Burns was relatively lighter and shorter; hence, he did not match Johnson’s capabilities. Johnson overwhelmed his opponent, and match officials called off the match in the 13th round when it was clear that he had won (Davies, 2017). His win means that he would hold the sport’s biggest crown. Besides, his status after the match rose so high that opportunities for more fights presented themselves, with more white players now willing to fight him.

Another major achievement in Johnson’s career was the win against Jeffries in 1910 on Independence Day. The match had received so much publicity because Jeffries was an undefeated heavyweight champion prior to the match (Gustkey, 1990). Besides, the star had returned from retirement to participate in one more fight. The match was a defining moment in the US’s race relationships, evident from how the media pepped up fans before the match. For instance, the New York Times wrote an article indicating that if Johnson won the match, it would encourage the black community to demand more equality. Johnson knocked down Jeffries in the 15th round, approximately one hour after the match started (Gustkey, 1990). The fight led to one of the largest race-motivated riots the following day, leading to deaths and the destruction of property. Despite the unfortunate turn of events, the fight played a key role in shaping America’s race relationships.

Jack Johnson’s Impact on the Athletic World

Jack Johnson’s experience offers insightful lessons to today’s athletes. One such lesson is the need to knock out fears while pursuing one’s interests. Jack Johnson lived at a time when there was open racial discrimination, but the athlete had to overcome any possible fears that would have prevented him from pursuing his dreams (Brundage, 2011). Instances of racism may have reduced, but some do occur in major leagues. The boxer’s experiences encourage today’s athletes to hunt their dreams relentlessly. Another key lesson is that no matter how good one is, one will eventually fail as new blood emerges daily. Johnson eventually lost his title to Jesse Willard, an emerging new great, in 1915.

Conclusion

Jack Johnson’s achievements in the sport are inspiring to the black community. The athlete had a tough childhood, dropping out of school in grade six due to economic hardships. Besides, his talent was also marred with struggles since he did not access ideal training facilities. Once he started competing, white boxers gave him a wide berth since they were intimidated and might not have wanted to compete with him. Eventually, white competitors had to give in and compete with Johnson due to his fast-growing fame.

References

Davies, R. O. (2017). Sports in American Life: A History. Wiley Blackwell.

Gustkey, E. (1990, July 8). 80 Years Ago, the Truth Hurt: Johnson’s Victory over Jeffries Taught Lesson to White America. Los Angeles Times. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-07-08-sp-462-story.html

Roberts, R. (1992). Papa Jack: Jack Johnson and the Era of White Hopes. Robson Bks.

William Fitzhugh Brundage. (2011). Beyond Blackface: African Americans and the Creation of American Popular Culture, 1890-1930. University Of North Carolina Press, Cop.

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The Story of Jack Johnson

Using the information covered in this week’s lecture and reading assignments, select a black athlete (Jack Johnson) from America’s history from one of the sites below, then research and share their story! Provide as much about their background as you can – where they were raised, how they got started and trained for their sport(s), discriminatory practices or other challenges which impacted their career, the biggest challenge they overcame, career goals and accomplishments, and the impact they had on the athletic world.

Please use one of these links:

Black pioneers in sports history to an external site.

Legendary African-American Athletes: Decade by DecadeLinks to an external site.

25 Black Athletes Who Changed the WorldLinks to an external site.