JACK JOHNSON
Jack Johnson was a famous black American heavyweight boxer who was born in Galveston, Texas on March 31, 1878. Johnson was a fighter with great speed, strength, and tremendous style. Nobody could compare to his picking punches, blocking, and his tremendous counter punching. He was the first black American boxer to win the heavyweight title (Lincoln Library, 2. During his thirty years of boxing, he fought one-hundred and thirteen bouts. He won seventy-eight of his bouts and lost thirty-five. He had forty-four knockouts and thirty-four were won by decision (Jet, 1). Jack Johnson was a leader of the African-American community, but was looked down upon by many white citizens (Lincoln Library, 2.
As a child he was restless and very quiet in school. In the fifth grade, Jack worked a variety of jobs, one of them was working on fishing boats in Florida. He also worked as an exercise boy at a Boston racetrack. He later went to Chicago to help “The Barbado,” John Walcott, as his sparring partner (Lincoln Library, pg. 28, vol. 9).
One of Johnson’s first matches was against Klondike, from Chicago. Klondike had a bad reputation around Chicago. Klondike knocked Johnson out very easily (Lincoln Library, 29). While touring with some boxers he learned different techniques of boxing. Later he went to California to defeat many boxers in big tournaments ( Lincoln Library, 2. On December 26, 1908 he defeated Tommy Burns in Melbourne, Australia, in fourteen rounds to become the first Black-American heavyweight champion boxer (Encarta, 1994).
Johnson upset a lot of white people by winning the title from Tommy Burns. So the whites formed a special tournament called the “Great White Hope.” During the time Johnson was the champion his whole lifestyle changed greatly. He wore flashy clothes and became a controversial figure. The white citizens brought out a retired boxer who was never knocked out, named James J. Jefferies in 1910, to knock Johnson off his pedestal, but Johnson went on to beat Jefferies, which led to racial rioting throughout the US (Lincoln Library, 2.
In 1913, Johnson was found guilty of violating the Mann Act, which is a law that banned the transportation of women across state lines for immoral purposes. Johnson was convicted of his violation and he tried to appeal his sentence, but before the ruling on his appeal, he fled to Canada, Europe, Mexico, and South America (Lincoln Library, 2.
In 1915, Johnson lost his title to Jess Willard in Havana, Cuba. Johnson returned to the United States and served his ten months in jail for his 1913 conviction. He fought the last of his professional bouts in 1928. After 1928, Johnson became a show buisiness man and was in a hit Broadway play called the ”Great White Hope,” which was based on Johnson’s life (Lincoln Library, 2.
Johnson died in Raleigh, NC on June 10,1946, after crashing his car into a tree. He was elected into the boxing hall of fame in 1954. “A great boxer by the name of Nat Fleischer said that “Johnson was the greatest heavyweight of them all.”” (Lincoln Library, 2.
In conclusion, Jack Johnson was a true American hero that was one of the worlds greatest boxers of all time. Johnson inspired many black people to never give up something even if many people are against you because with a little faith and hard work it can really pay off. Jack Johnson was a controversial figure that angered many white Americans but also helped to unite the black race in America.
HIS PROFILE
Born: Arthur John Johnson, Mar. 31, 1878, Galveston, TX
Died: June 10, 1946, Raleigh, NC
Johnson's early record is incomplete, although in his notoriously unreliable autobiography he claims that one 16-round win was his first "regular" fight. He was just short of 16 years old.
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1894
----- John Lee Galveston, TX W 16
(above fight not confirmed by independent records)
Undated (circa 1894-95)
----- Dave Pierson Galveston, TX W
----- Bob Thompson Galveston, TX L 4
1896
----- Cherokee Kansas City, Ks KO
----- Howard Pollar Galveston, TX W
1897
----- Jim Rocks Galveston, TX KO 4
----- Sam Smith Galveston, TX W10
1898
----- Reddy Bremer Galveston, TX KO 3
----- Jim Cole Galveston, TX W 4
----- Henry Smith Galveston, TX D 15
1899
11 Feb Jim McCormick Galveston, TX D 7
17 Mar Jim McCormick Galveston, TX WF 7
6 May Klondike Chicago, IL LT 4
16 Dec Pat Smith Galveston, TX D 12
1900
7 Mar John Lee Galveston, TX W 15
20 Mar Willie McNeal Galveston, TX KO 15
6 Apr Bob White Galveston, TX W 15
12 Apr Charley Brooks Galveston, TX KO 2
1 May Jim Scanlan Galveston, TX KO 7
6 May Jim McCormick Galveston, TX KO 2
28 May Jim McCormick Galveston, TX KO 7
12 Jun Horace Miles Galveston, TX KO 3
25 Jun Klondike Galveston, TX D 20
7 Sep Galveston nearly destroyed by flood
- Oct George Lawler Galveston, TX KO 10
- Nov Josh Mills Memphis, TN W 12
28 Dec Klondike Memphis, TN KO 14
1901
25 Feb Joe Choynski Galveston, TX LK 3
(Both fighters arrested after the fight)
22 Mar Choynski and Johnson released from jail
after each posts a $1000 bond
26 Apr Billy Stift Denver, CO D 10
4 Nov Hank Griffin Bakersfield, CA L20
27 Dec Hank Griffin Oakland, CA D15
1902
7 Feb Dan Murphy Waterbury, CT KO10
22 Feb Ed Johnson Galveston, TX KO4
7 Mar Joe Kennedy Oakland, CA KO4
6 Apr Bob White CA W15
16 May Jack Jeffries Los Angeles, CA KO 5
26 May Klondike Memphis, TN KO 13
4 Jun Billy Stift Chicago, IL D 10
20 Jun Hank Griffin Los Angeles, CA D20
6 Jul Hank Griffin CA D20
3 Sep Mexican Pete Everett Victor, CO W20
21 Oct Frank Childs Los Angeles, CA TK12
31 Oct George Gardner San Francisco, CA W20
4 Dec Fred Russell Los Angeles, CA WF 8
1903
3 Feb Denver Ed Martin Los Angeles, CA W20
(Won Colored Heavyweight Championship;
weights: Johnson 180, Martin 203)
27 Feb Sam McVey Los Angeles, CA W20
-Colored Heavyweight Championship of the World
16 Apr Sandy Ferguson Boston, MA W10
11 May Joe Butler Philadelphia, PA KO3
31 Jul Sandy Ferguson Philadelphia, PA ND6
27 Oct Sam McVey Los Angeles, CA W20
-Colored Heavyweight Championship of the World
11 Dec Sandy Ferguson Colma, CA W20
1904
6 Feb Sandy Ferguson Philadelphia, PA ND6
16 Feb Claude Brooks Philadelphia, PA ND6
22 Apr Sam McVey San Francisco, CA KO20
2 Jun Frank Childs Chicago, IL W6
18 Oct Denver Ed Martin Los Angeles, CA KO2
1 Nov Larry Temple PA ND4
1905
28 Mar Marvin Hart San Francisco, CA L20
25 Apr Jim Jeffords Philadelphia, PA KO4
3 May Black Bill Philadelphia, PA KO4
9 May Joe Jennette Philadelphia, PA ND 3
9 May Walter Johnson Philadelphia, PA KO3
19 May Joe Jennette Philadelphia, PA ND6
26 Jun Jack Monroe Philadelphia, PA ND6
13 Jul Morris Harris Philadelphia, PA KO3
13 Jul Black Bill Philadelphia, PA ND6
18 Jul Sandy Ferguson Chelsea, MA WF7
24 Jul Joe Grim Philadelphia, PA ND6
25 Nov Joe Jennette Philadelphia, PA LDQ2
1 Dec Young Peter Jackson Baltimore, MD W12
2 Dec Joe Jennette Philadelphia, PA ND6
1906
16 Jan Joe Jennette New York, NY ND3
26 Jan Bob Kerns Topeka, KS KO1
14 Mar Joe Jennette Baltimore, MD W15
19 Apr Black Bill Wilkes-Barre, PA KO6
26 Apr Sam Langford Chelsea, MA W15
18 Jun Charlie Haghey Gloucester, PA KO2
3 Sep Billy Dunning Millinocket, ME D10
20 Sep Joe Jennette Philadelphia, PA ND6
8 Nov Jim Jeffords Lancaster, PA ND 6
26 Nov Joe Jennette Portland, ME D10
9 Dec Joe Jennette New York, NY W3
1907
19 Feb Peter Felix Sydney KO1
4 Mar Bill Lang Melbourne, Australia KO9
17 Jul Bob Fitzsimmons Philadelphia, PA KO2
28 Aug Kid Cutler Reading, PA KO1
(Cutler was a protege of John L. Sullivan)
12 Sep Sailor Burke Bridgeport, CT ND6
2 Nov Jim Flynn San Francisco, CA KO11
1908
3 Jan Joe Jennette New York, NY D3
11 Jun Al McNamara Plymouth, ENG Exh 4
31 Jul Ben Taylor Plymouth, ENG KO8
26 Dec Tommy Burns Sydney W 14
(Won World Heavyweight Title)
Bout halted by police, so as per prior agreement, a decision was awarded by referee.
1909
10 Mar Victor McLaglen Vancouver, Canada Exh 6
-- Apr Frank Moran Pittsburgh Exh 4
19 May Philadelphia Jack O'Brien Philadelphia, PA ND6
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
30 Jun Tony Ross Pittsburgh, PA ND6
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
12 Aug Kid Cutler Brooklyn, NY Exh
9 Sep Al Kaufman San Francisco, CA ND10
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
16 Oct Stanley Ketchel Colma, CA KO12
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
1910
Jul Al Kaufman Reno, NV Exh
4 Jul James J. Jeffries Reno, NV KO15
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
Oct Loses two auto races to Barney Oldfield at Coney Island
24 Nov Johnson receives title belt awarded by
"popular subscription of his friends and admirers"
1911
Jan Marries Etta Duryea
11 Sep Johnson's wife, Etta Duryea, commits suicide
2 Oct Bombadier Billy Wells London, Eng Sched
1912
Mar 8 Frank Hoe Indianapolis, IN EX 4
21 Jun Indicted for smuggling diamond necklace into US
4 Jul Jim Flynn Las Vegas, NM KO 9
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
11 Jul Opens Cafe de Champion in Chicago
Oct 12 Arrested for violating the "White Slave Traffic Act"
Dec 4 Marries Lucille Cameron
1913
May 14 Convicted of violating the "White Slave Traffic Act"
in Chicago, IL
Jun 4 Sentenced to a term of imprisonment of
1 year and 1 day plus a fine of $1000
mid-June Flees the United States while free pending appeal
Oct "French Federation of Boxing Clubs" strips Johnson of title,
but IBU refuses to do so.
--- -- Urbach Paris, Fr Exh (W 2 falls)
-- wrestling match
Nov 28 Andre Sproul Paris, Fr Exh 2
-This was a match between a boxer (Johnson) and a
wrestler (Sproul); Johndon knocked Sproul out;
The contest turned into a riot
Nov 28 Jimmy Esson Paris, Fr Exh (L 2 falls)
-- wrestling match
Dec 19 "Battling" Jim Johnson Paris, Fr D 10
-Heavyweight Championship of the World;
This bout was scheduled for 20 rounds but
terminated after 10 rounds due to arm injury
to Jack Johnson; first time judges used in
Heavyweight Title Match; maj. draw
1914
Mar 10 G.H. [a law student] Gothenburg, SWE Exh (wrestle)
Mar 10 Taumisto Gothenburg, SWE Exh (wrestle)
Jun 27 Frank Moran Paris W 20
(Retained World Heavyweight Title)
Dec 15 Jack Murray Buenos Aires Exh KO 3
1915
Jan 10 Segundo Guiralechea Buenos Aires Exh KO 1
Jan 10 Enrique Wilkinson Buenos Aires Exh KO 1
Jan 10 Jack Murray Buenos Aires Exh KO 1
Apr Mills, Scott, Bell Havana, Cu Spar (total
Apr 3 Sam McVey Havana, Cu Exh 6
Apr 5 Jess Willard Havana, Cu KO by 26
(Lost World Heavyweight Title)
1916
10 Mar Frank Crozier Madrid W 10
25 Mar Arthur Gruhan Madrid W 10
10 Jul Arthur Cravan Barcelona, Spain KO 6
1918
3 Apr Blink McCloskey Madrid W4
1919
12 Feb Bill Flint Madrid KO 2
NOTE -- Mexico dates/results still under investigation
7 Apr Tom Cowler Mexico City D 10
2 Jun Tom Cowler Mexico City KO 12
4 Jul Paul Sampson Mexico City KO 6
10 Aug Marty Cutler Mexico City KO 4
28 Sep Bob Roper Mexico City W 10
1920
18 Apr Bob Wilson Mexicali, Mexico KO3
21 Apr Ray Neal Tijuana, Mexico Exh 4
17 May George Roberts Tijuana, Mexico KO3
20 Jul Johnson crosses border into United States from Mexico
and surrenders to Federal agents.
He is sent to Leavenworth prison.
25 Nov Frank Owens Leavenworth, KS KO 6
25 Nov "Topeka" Jack Johnson Leavenworth, KS W 5
30 Nov George Owens Leavenworth, KS KO6
1921
15 Apr Jack Townsend Leavenworth, KS KO6
28 May John Allen Leavenworth, KS Exh 2
28 May Joe Boykin Leavenworth, KS KO 5
9 Jul Johnson is released from Levenworth Prison
1923
6 May Francis Lodge Havana, Cu KO 4
20 May Jack Thompson Havana, Cu ND 15
1 Oct Battling Siki Quebec, Canada Exh 6
1924
22 Feb Homer Smith Montreal, Canada W10
--- Divorces Lucille Cameron
1925
Aug Marries Irene Pineau
1926
May 2 Pat Lester Nogales, Mx W 15
May 30 Bob Lawson Juarez, Mx LT 8
Jun Battling Norfolk L 10
Sep 6 Brad Simmons Ponca City, Ok L 10
1927
----- "Big" Bill Hartwell Exh 4
1928
Apr 16 Ed "Bearcat" Wright Topeka, Ks LK 5
May 15 "Big" Bill Hartwell Kansas City, Ks LT 7
----- Isaac "Ike" McFowler Exh 6
1930
----- "Phila." Jack O'Brien Exh 3
1931
Mar 4 Brad Simmons Tulsa, Ok L 10
Apr 28 Brad Simmons Wichita, Ks KO 2
Apr 30 Johnson and Simmons barred from boxing in Topeka, Ks
----- Chief White Horse Exh 3
----- Brad Simmons Tulsa, Ok Exh 3
Jun 11 Dynamite Jackson Los Angeles, Ca Exh 3
Jul 16 Dee Richmond Dishman, Id Exh 3
Jul 18 Floyd Johnson Seattle, WA Exh 4
1932
Nov 29 Dick Anderson Chicago, Il KO 3
1933
Jan 20 Maurice Griselle Paris, Fr Exh 1
Jan 20 Ernst Guehring Paris, Fr Exh 1
1938
Sep 1 Walter Price Boston, Ma LT 7
1944
----- Wilbur DeCora Ida Grove, Ia Exh 2
----- an unnamed opponent Spencer City, Ia Exh 2
----- Henry Neumann Sioux City, Ia Exh 2
1945
27 Nov Joe Jennette New York, NY Exh 3
27 Nov John Ballcort New York, NY Exh 3
(above were at a WW II Bond Rally, 1-minute rounds)
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