Pardon sought for the first black boxing champion
BY: Jarred Powell
Rep. Peter King and Sen. John McCain unveiled a resolution urging a presidential pardon for former heavyweight boxing champ Jack Johnson, who was convicted in 1913 of violating the Mann Act, which made it illegal to transport women across state lines for immoral purposes. The law has since been heavily amended, but has not been repealed. "We need to erase this act of racism which sent an American citizen to prison on a trumped-up charge," McCain said, adding, "I have great confidence this president will be more than eager to sign this legislation and pardon Jack Johnson." Jack Johnson was jailed simply because he had relations and eventually married a white woman. That's the only way they could have taken his title cause he was knocking everyone else out. This pardon is way overdue. It was a racially motivated law that was meant to condemn black that had relationships with white women. Especially Johnson, who was one of the first celebrity athletes of our era.
Jarred Powell
Sports Editor
BlackUrbanTimes
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