All language subtitles for Unforgivable Blackness - Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson Part 1.eng

[RAGTIME MUSIC PLAYING]

Narrator:
ON THE MORNING OF JULY 4, 1910,

15 SPECIAL TRAINS PULLED
INTO THE LITTLE DESERT TOWN

OF RENO, NEVADA.

ABOARD WERE THOUSANDS
OF WHITE MEN

WHO HAD PAID THEIR WAY
ACROSS THE COUNTRY

TO SEE A PRIZEFIGHT

UNLIKE ANY THAT HAD EVER
TAKEN PLACE BEFORE.

THEY HAD COME TO SEE THEIR HERO,

THE WHITE EX-HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION JIM JEFFRIES,

TAKE BACK THE TITLE
FROM THE FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN

EVER TO HOLD IT: JACK JOHNSON.

IT WAS,
SAID THE "CHICAGO TRIBUNE,"

GOING TO BE A CONTEST BETWEEN
THE WHITE MAN'S HOPE

AND THE BLACK PERIL.

SOMEHOW, IN THE MINDS
OF MANY WHITE AMERICANS,

THIS BOXING MATCH WOULD DECIDE

WHOSE COUNTRY
AMERICA REALLY WAS;

WHO WAS MEANT TO BE IN CHARGE.

FOR MORE THAN 13 YEARS,

JACK JOHNSON WAS THE MOST FAMOUS

AND THE MOST NOTORIOUS
AFRICAN-AMERICAN ON EARTH.

HE BATTLED HIS WAY
FROM OBSCURITY

TO THE TOP
OF THE HEAVYWEIGHT RANKS,

WON THE GREATEST PRIZE
IN AMERICAN SPORTS--

A PRIZE THAT HAD ALWAYS BEEN
THE PRIVATE PRESERVE

OF WHITE COMBATANTS--

THEN SUFFERED PERSECUTION

AT THE HANDS
OF HIS OWN GOVERNMENT

AND YEARS OF EXILE

BEFORE THE TITLE
WAS TAKEN FROM HIM.

AND HE DID ALL THESE THINGS

DURING THE YEARS
WHICH MARKED THE LOW POINT

OF AFRICAN-AMERICAN LIFE
AFTER EMANCIPATION.

ABANDONED
BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT,

DENIED THE VOTE IF THEY LIVED
BELOW THE MASON-DIXON LINE,

AND LIVING
UNDER THE CONSTANT THREAT

OF MOB VIOLENCE,

BLACK AMERICANS
AT THE TURN OF THE 20th CENTURY

WERE NO LONGER ENSLAVED

BUT NOT YET TRULY FREE.

JACK JOHNSON INSISTED
ON BEING FREE.

WHEN WHITES RAN EVERYTHING,

JACK JOHNSON
TOOK ORDERS FROM NO ONE.

WHILE MOST AFRICAN-AMERICANS
STRUGGLED MERELY TO SURVIVE,

JACK JOHNSON REVELED IN
HIS RICHES AND HIS FAME.

WHEN BLACK AMERICANS
WERE EXPECTED

TO DEFER TO WHITES,

JACK JOHNSON
BATTERED THEM TO THE GROUND.

AND AT A TIME
WHEN THE MERE SUSPICION

THAT A BLACK MAN
HAD FLIRTED WITH A WHITE WOMAN

COULD COST HIM HIS LIFE,

JACK JOHNSON SLEPT WITH
WHOMEVER HE PLEASED.

TO MOST WHITES,
AND TO SOME AFRICAN-AMERICANS,

JOHNSON WAS A PERPETUAL THREAT:

PROFLIGATE, ARROGANT,
AMORAL, A DARK MENACE,

AND A DANGER
TO THE NATURAL ORDER OF THINGS.

THE REAL JACK JOHNSON
WAS BOTH MORE AND LESS

THAN THOSE WHO LOVED
OR THOSE WHO HATED HIM

EVER KNEW.

"JUST REMEMBER,"

HE TOLD A YOUNG REPORTER
NOT LONG BEFORE HE DIED,

"WHATEVER YOU WRITE ABOUT ME,
THAT I WAS A MAN."

Man: SEE, JOHNSON
WAS A PURE INDIVIDUAL.

HE DID EVERYTHING EXACTLY
THE WAY HE WANTED TO DO IT.

AND SO I DON'T THINK
IT EVER CROSSED HIS MIND

THAT HE, JACK JOHNSON,

SHOULD BE ANYBODY ELSE'S
VERSION OF JACK JOHNSON.

Second man:
WHAT I LIKED ABOUT JACK,

HE'S A SELF-DEFINED MAN.

JACK DIDN'T TOE ANY LINES.

I WON'T SAY THAT'S WHAT
GOT HIM INTO TROUBLE.

I THINK THE SOCIETY
WAS IN TROUBLE,

AND JACK WAS JUST
BEING HIMSELF.

HE DIDN'T PRESENT HIMSELF
AS THE MAN OF THE PEOPLE

DOING GOOD FOR HIS PEOPLE.

HE DIDN'T PLAY THAT GAME,

AND HE DIDN'T PLAY THE GAME
OF "YASSUH, BOSS,"

AND CUTTING OFF HIS BALLS

JUST TO PRESENT HIMSELF AS
A NONTHREATENING CREATURE

OFF-RING.

THERE IS NOBODY
LIKE JACK JOHNSON

BECAUSE, FIRST THING,
WHEN JACK JOHNSON WAS FIGHTING,

HE COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED
AT ANY OF HIS MAJOR FIGHTS.

THERE WERE PEOPLE
OUT IN THE AUDIENCE

WHO PROBABLY WERE WILLING
TO MURDER HIM.

HE KNEW IT, THEY KNEW IT,

AND EVERYBODY
IN THE WORLD KNEW IT.

Jones: THE STORY OF JACK JOHNSON
REALLY IS A STORY OF HUBRIS

MORE THAN RACE OR ANYTHING ELSE.

FORGET ABOUT RACE.

THAT WAS THE COLOR
OF THE SYSTEM,

BUT THAT DIDN'T
DEFINE THE SYSTEM.

IT WAS ABOUT POWER.

Man: "IT MIGHT SEEM
THAT I,

"WHO HAVE DEVOTED NEARLY ALL
THE YEARS OF MY LIFE TO BOXING,

"AM STEPPING OUT OF MY ROLE

"WHEN I PRESUME
TO TURN MY ATTENTION

"TO SUBJECTS FAR REMOVED FROM
THE STERN BUSINESS OF PUGILISM.

"BUT EVEN A BOXER
MUST COME IN CONTACT WITH LIFE

"AND ITS MANY PROBLEMS.

"HE SEES THE HIGH AND THE LOW

"AND FEELS THE BUMPS
OF THE ROUGH PLACES

"AND THE DELIGHT
OF THE SMOOTH ONES.

"WHEN HE HAS BEEN THROWN
INTO ALL CLASSES OF SOCIETY,

"WHEN HE HAS FELT
THE STINGS OF LIFE AS I HAVE

"AND GLORIED
IN THE TRIUMPHS THAT WERE MINE,

"HE COMES TO KNOW MANY THINGS

THAT ARE NOT IN THE CATEGORY
OF SPORTS AND BOXING."

JACK JOHNSON.

[ROOSTER CROWING]

Narrator: THE MAN
WHO MANY BELIEVE TO BE

THE GREATEST HEAVYWEIGHT
OF ALL TIME

WAS BORN IN GALVESTON, TEXAS
ON MARCH 31, 1878--

THE YEAR AFTER RECONSTRUCTION,

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT'S
FIRST ATTEMPT

AT ENFORCING CIVIL RIGHTS
FOR ALL CITIZENS,

HAD COLLAPSED,

LEAVING FREED BLACKS
IN THE FORMER CONFEDERACY

TO FEND FOR THEMSELVES.

JACK JOHNSON'S PARENTS
HAD DONE JUST THAT.

FORMER SLAVES,

HENRY AND TINY JOHNSON MANAGED
TO FIND JOBS IN GALVESTON--

HE AS A SCHOOL JANITOR,

SHE AS A LAUNDRESS--

TO EARN ENOUGH MONEY
TO PURCHASE THEIR OWN HOME,

TO RAISE 6 CHILDREN,

AND TO MAKE SURE THAT ALL 6
LEARNED TO READ AND WRITE.

JACK JOHNSON
HAD ONLY 5 YEARS OF SCHOOLING,

BUT HE WAS FILLED
WITH WHAT HE CALLED

"THE DREAMS AND DESIRES
THAT ARE COMMON TO YOUTH."

AND FROM THE FIRST,

HE SAW HIMSELF
AS SOMEONE SPECIAL.

AT THE AGE OF 12,
HE CLAIMED HE RAN AWAY FROM HOME

AND HEADED FOR NEW YORK CITY.

HIS HERO WAS A CON MAN
NAMED STEVE BRODIE:

A SELF-PROMOTING IRISH IMMIGRANT
WHO HAD BECOME FAMOUS

WHEN HE CLAIMED TO HAVE
SURVIVED A LEAP

FROM THE BRAND-NEW
BROOKLYN BRIDGE.

SOMEHOW, WITHOUT HELP
OR PERMISSION FROM ANYONE,

THE YOUNG JOHNSON DETERMINED
TO GO AND MEET HIM.

Man as Johnson:
"I RAN AWAY AS A KID.

"STOWED AWAY ON A COTTON STEAMER
AND LANDED IN NEW YORK.

"I DIDN'T HAVE A NICKEL.

"AS THE SHIP DOCKED,
I WENT ON DECK

"AND STANDING
IN THE CROWD OF PASSENGERS

"WITH MY LONGEST FACE
AND MY SADDEST EYES,

"I ANNOUNCED THAT I WAS
A WORTHLESS COLORED BOY

"WITHOUT FRIENDS,
FAMILY, OR MONEY,

"AND WAS ABOUT
TO JUMP OVERBOARD.

"I WALKED TO THE RAIL
AND TOLD EVERYBODY

"TO KEEP AWAY FROM ME!

"I'D ALLOWED MY OLD CAP
TO FALL ON DECK.

"AS I TURNED TO TRY MY BLUFF
AT THE FATAL PLUNGE,

"A WOMAN THREW A DOLLAR
IN MY CAP.

A SHOWER OF MONEY FOLLOWED."

Narrator:
THE BOY GATHERED UP HIS CASH,

MADE IT TO THE BOWERY,

SHOOK HIS HERO'S HAND,

AND WENT BACK TO GALVESTON--

OR SO JOHNSON LIKED TO REMEMBER.

WHETHER HE REALLY TRAVELED
ALL THAT WAY TO MEET HIS IDOL

OR ONLY WISHED HE HAD,

THE BOY HE DESCRIBED
HAD MANY OF THE CHARACTERISTICS

HE WOULD DISPLAY
AS A GROWN MAN:

INDEPENDENCE, RESTLESSNESS,
AN ABILITY TO IMPROVISE,

TO CALL ATTENTION TO HIMSELF,

AND TO GET AROUND RULES
MEANT TO TIE HIM DOWN.

BUT GALVESTON
OFFERED HIM NOTHING.

HE CARRIED BAGS IN A HOTEL,

SWEPT OUT A BARBERSHOP,

LOADED BALES OF COTTON
ON THE WATERFRONT,

AND CONSTANTLY SEARCHED
FOR A WAY UP AND OUT.

BOXING WOULD PROVIDE IT.

Man: BOXING IS A STRANGE,
STRANGE SPORT.

BOTTOM LINE,
IT'S LEGALIZED ASSAULT.

BUT IT HAS GIVEN PEOPLE
THROUGHOUT HISTORY

A CHANCE TO BETTER THEMSELVES.

AND IT'S ALWAYS BEEN THE SPORT--

IF NOT OF THE DISPOSSESSED,

OF THE LOWEST RUNG
ON ANY LADDER.

Narrator: JACK JOHNSON
WOULD TELL A THOUSAND STORIES

OF HOW HE GOT STARTED:

IN A FIGHT
WITH A NEIGHBORHOOD BULLY,

IN A RUN-IN WITH A BRUTAL
RAILROAD DETECTIVE,

AND BY TAKING PART

IN ONE OF THE MOST HUMILIATING
CREATIONS OF THE JIM CROW ERA,

THE BATTLE ROYAL--

A BACK-ROOM SPECTACLE IN WHICH
6 OR 8 OR 10 BLACK BOYS,

OFTEN BLINDFOLDED,

WERE SET TO PUNCHING ONE ANOTHER

WHILE DRUNKEN WHITE MEN
JEERED THEM ON.

THE LAST ONE STANDING
GOT THE PRIZE:

USUALLY A FISTFUL
OF TOSSED COINS.

JACK JOHNSON WAS OFTEN
THE LAST ONE STANDING.

STRONG, FAST, AND MORE THAN
6 FEET TALL AT AGE 18,

JOHNSON WAS DEVOTING
MOST OF HIS TIME TO BOXING,

EARNING MORE IN ONE NIGHT
THAN HIS FATHER COULD ALL WEEK.

HE SERVED AS A SPARRING PARTNER
FOR VETERAN BOXERS

AND TRAVELED TO OTHER TOWNS
IN SEARCH OF BOUTS,

OFTEN RIDING THE RAILS.

IT WAS THE BEGINNING
OF A LIFE ON THE ROAD.

Man as Johnson:
"HARD-BOILED TRAIN CREWS

"DO NOT SEEM ENTHUSIASTIC
OVER HAVING ME AS A PASSENGER.

"IF I VENTURED INTO THE STREETS
OF SOME OF THE SMALLER TOWNS,

"WHERE A STRANGER
WAS QUICKLY DISCOVERED,

"POLICE OFFICERS AND CONSTABLES
MANIFESTED DEEP CONCERN IN ME.

"IN FACT, THEY WERE GENERALLY
SO DEEPLY INTERESTED

THAT I REMAINED
AS A GUEST OF THE TOWN."

Narrator: IT WAS A TOUGH LIFE
NEGOTIATING JIM CROW AMERICA,

BUT JOHNSON WAS MAKING
$5 OR $10 OR $15 A NIGHT

TAKING ON OTHER BLACK FIGHTERS,

AND HE HAD BECOME
A PART OF THE UNDERGROUND,

DANGEROUS,
EXHILARATING WORLD OF BOXING.

Man: "THIS CONTEST OF MEN
WITH PADDED GLOVES

"IS A SPORT
THAT BELONGS UNEQUIVOCALLY

"TO THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING RACE.

"IT IS NO SUPERFICIAL THING,

"A FAD OF A MOMENT
OR A GENERATION.

"IT IS AS DEEP
AS OUR CONSCIOUSNESS

"AND IS WOVEN
INTO THE FIBERS OF OUR BEING.

"THIS IS THE APE
AND THE TIGER IN US, GRANTED,

BUT IT IS IN US, ISN'T IT?"

JACK LONDON.

Narrator: PRIZEFIGHTING
WAS A LARGELY ILLICIT ENTERPRISE

AT THE BEGINNING
OF THE 20th CENTURY,

BUT IT WAS FOLLOWED OBSESSIVELY
BY MEN OF EVERY CLASS.

NEW RULES NOW REQUIRED BOXERS
TO WEAR GLOVES,

AND ROUNDS WERE CAREFULLY TIMED.

[BELL RINGS]

BUT BOUTS WERE OFTEN FIXED.

THERE WERE
NO BOXING COMMISSIONS,

NO RINGSIDE DOCTORS.

FIGHTS WERE SOMETIMES HELD
IN FARMERS' FIELDS

OR ON OFFSHORE BARGES
TO KEEP LAWMEN AWAY.

IN ORDER FOR A FIGHT
TO GO FORWARD,

EVERYONE INVOLVED
HAD TO PRETEND

THEY WERE PUTTING ON
A SCIENTIFIC DEMONSTRATION.

[PUNCHES LANDING, MEN GRUNTING]

[CROWD CHEERING]

Sugar:
AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY,

BOXING WAS ONE
OF THE 3 BIG SPORTS.

THERE WAS HORSE RACING,
BASEBALL, AND BOXING.

AND IT DOMINATED
THE SPORTS PAGE, SUCH AS IT WAS.

BOXING THEN WAS STILL
A LITTLE BIT IN ITS INFANCY.

IN MANY STATES,
IT WAS OUTLAWED--

PURE AND SIMPLE, OUTLAWED.

Narrator: BUT EVEN THOSE
WHO DEPLORED BOXING

KNEW THE NAME
OF THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

OF THE WORLD--

THE BOSTON STRONG BOY,
THE MONARCH OF THE PRIZE RING,

JOHN L. SULLIVAN.

HIS MUSTACHED PORTRAIT

HUNG IN ALMOST EVERY SALOON
IN AMERICA.

Sugar: JOHN L. SULLIVAN
GAVE THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION

ITS SORT OF IMPRIMATUR.

HE CALLED IT
THE STRONGEST MAN IN THE WORLD.

IT WAS THE SINGULAR
MOST IMPORTANT TITLE

IN THE WORLD,

OUTSIDE OF BEING
A GENERAL OR A PRESIDENT.

Man: SULLIVAN REALLY,
IN AMERICA,

MADE THIS CHAMPIONSHIP
MEAN SOMETHING.

HE MADE
BEING A BOXING CHAMPION--

YOU SUDDENLY BECAME SORT OF LIKE
THE EMPEROR OF MASCULINITY.

THAT'S WHAT YOU WERE.

YOU BECAME A HERO FIGURE.

Narrator: "I GO IN TO WIN
FROM THE VERY FIRST SECOND,"

JOHN L. SULLIVAN LIKED TO SAY.

"WIN I MUST, AND WIN I SHALL."

AND WIN HE DID,

DEFENDING HIS TITLE
AGAINST EVERY BLACKSMITH,

TUGBOAT CAPTAIN,

IRON PUDDLER, AND GANDY DANCER

WHO DARED ACCEPT HIS CHALLENGE

THAT "I CAN BEAT ANY
SON OF A BITCH IN THE WORLD."

ANY SON OF A BITCH, THAT IS,
PROVIDED HE WAS WHITE.

"I WILL NOT FIGHT A NEGRO,"

SULLIVAN ANNOUNCED
AFTER HE WON THE TITLE.

"I NEVER HAVE AND NEVER SHALL."

FOR SULLIVAN
AND MILLIONS OF HIS FOLLOWERS,

THE TWISTED LOGIC
OF WHITE SUPREMACY DICTATED THAT

THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
OF THE WORLD

HAD TO BE A WHITE MAN.

BLACK FIGHTERS
WERE ALLOWED TO FIGHT WHITES

IN EVERY OTHER INSTANCE,

BUT GIVING A BLACK MAN A CHANCE
AT THE HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE

WAS TOO BIG A RISK TO TAKE.

Early:
SULLIVAN DREW THE COLOR LINE

IN PART BECAUSE IT WAS
THE RACISM OF THE TIME.

IT'S A VERY DIFFICULT TIME
IN AMERICA TO BE A BLACK PERSON.

ALMOST THE CONSTRUCTION
OF AN AMERICAN APARTHEID

HAS TAKEN PLACE.

BY THE 1890s,
LYNCHINGS IN THE UNITED STATES

ARE AVERAGING 150 A YEAR.

SULLIVAN VERY MUCH
THOUGHT OF HIMSELF

AS THE WHITE CHAMPION,

AND THAT WAS
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT

NOT ONLY TO HIM,
BUT TO HIS FANS,

THAT HE NOT FIGHT A BLACK MAN.

IT MEANT IN ESSENCE
THAT BLACKS WERE NONBEINGS,

NONENTITIES.

THEY DID NOT COUNT IN THIS.

Narrator:
IN FEBRUARY OF 1901,

A VETERAN BOXER
NAMED JOE CHOYNSKI

CAME TO GALVESTON OSTENSIBLY TO
GIVE BOXING LESSONS

TO MEMBERS OF
THE GALVESTON ATHLETIC CLUB,

BUT ACTUALLY TO TAKE ON
A PROMISING YOUNG HOPEFUL.

IT WAS JACK JOHNSON.

ONCE THE BELL RANG,

IT WAS CLEAR THAT CHOYNSKI
HAD LOST SOME OF HIS SPEED

BUT NONE OF HIS SKILL.

"IN THE THIRD ROUND,"
THE OLDER MAN REMEMBERED,

"I KNOCKED JOHNSON OUT

WITH A LEFT HOOK
TO THE RIGHT EYE."

AT THAT MOMENT, 5 TEXAS RANGERS
RUSHED INTO THE RING

AND ARRESTED BOTH BOXERS

FOR ENGAGING
IN AN ILLEGAL CONTEST.

THEY SPENT 23 DAYS
IN JAIL TOGETHER--

TWO DAYS LONGER THAN A MAN
WHO KILLED HIS WIFE,

JOHNSON REMEMBERED--

DURING WHICH TIME,

THE OLD MASTER
TOOK IT UPON HIMSELF

TO TEACH THE YOUNGER MAN
SOME OF HIS TRICKS:

JABBING, FEINTING,
SLIPPING PUNCHES.

"A MAN WHO CAN MOVE LIKE YOU,"
CHOYNSKI TOLD JOHNSON,

"SHOULD NEVER
HAVE TO TAKE A PUNCH."

JOHNSON TOOK HIS ADVICE
TO HEART,

AND AFTER HE WAS RELEASED,

HE MOVED ON TO MEMPHIS,

CHICAGO,

BOSTON,

CALIFORNIA,

IN SEARCH OF BIGGER PURSES
AND BETTER OPPONENTS.

[PUNCHES LANDING]

Crouch: WHAT A BOXER IDEALLY
WANTS TO DO IN THE RING

IS TURN THE OPPONENT
INTO AN ASSISTANT

IN HIS OWN ASS-WHIPPING.

THAT'S REALLY WHAT YOU WANT
THE OTHER GUY TO DO--

TO ASSIST YOU
IN WHIPPING HIS ASS.

NOW, JACK JOHNSON,
IT SEEMS TO ME,

FIGURED OUT WAYS
OF GETTING PEOPLE INTO POSITIONS

WHERE THEY COULD BE HIT

AND DO DIFFERENT KINDS OF THINGS
TO THROW THEM OFF-BALANCE

AND TO DO
THE SAME KIND OF THINGS

THAT MAGICIANS DO.

THE MAGICIAN IS ALWAYS TRYING
TO GET YOU TO LOOK

IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION
FROM WHERE THE TRICK

IS ACTUALLY BEING BROUGHT OFF.

Narrator:
JOHNSON WAS BEGINNING TO DEVELOP

HIS OWN DISTINCTIVE STYLE
IN THE RING:

SMOOTH, LAID-BACK, DEFENSIVE.

HE TOOK FEW CHANCES,

PICKING OFF
HIS OPPONENTS' PUNCHES

WITH HIS GLOVES,

WAITING FOR THE OTHER MAN
TO MAKE MISTAKES,

THEN COUNTERPUNCHING
OR TYING HIM UP.

IT WAS NOT A STYLE CALCULATED
TO APPEAL TO THOSE FANS

WHO HAD PAID TO SEE A BRAWL,

BUT IT BAFFLED HIS OPPONENTS

AND WON HIM FIGHTS.

Man: SEE, JACK JOHNSON KNEW
WHEN TO PUNCH

AND WHERE TO PUNCH.

YOU KNOW,
MUHAMMAD ALI NEVER THREW A PUNCH

BELOW THE JAW.

HE PUNCHED FROM HERE UP.

HE USED TO MAKE...

JACK JOHNSON, TOO--

HE USED TO MAKE GUYS MISS
BY PULLING BACK.

AND THAT'S A NO-NO IN BOXING,

BECAUSE PULLING BACK
IS LIKE BEING IN THE TRAIN TRACK

AND THEN A TRAIN'S COMING.

YOU DON'T WANT
TO BE HIT BY A TRAIN.

WHAT DO YOU DO?

YOU DON'T MOVE BACK
BECAUSE THE TRAIN,

EVENTUALLY, IS GONNA HIT YOU.

YOU MOVE TO ONE SIDE,
OR YOU MOVE TO THE OTHER.

BUT JOHNSON AND ALI DID NOT
MOVE TO THIS SIDE OR THIS SIDE.

THEY WENT BACK, BUT THE TRAIN
NEVER CAUGHT UP WITH THEM.

Narrator: WHEN JIM CORBETT,

THE MAN WHO TOOK
THE HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE

FROM JOHN L. SULLIVAN,

HAD DISPLAYED SOME OF THE SAME
DEFENSIVE SKILLS

AS JACK JOHNSON DID,

SPORTS WRITERS PRAISED HIM
AS THE CLEVEREST MAN IN BOXING:

GENTLEMAN JIM.

BUT WHEN JOHNSON
FOUGHT THAT WAY,

HE WAS SAID
TO BE LAZY, SHIFTLESS,

SHOWING THE YELLOW STREAK
WHICH ALL AFRICAN-AMERICANS

WERE SUPPOSED TO SHARE.

Man: WITH BLACK BOXERS,

EVERY TRAIT
THAT WAS A POSITIVE TRAIT,

THEY TRIED TO TURN IT
INTO A NEGATIVE TRAIT.

IF A BLACK BOXER WAS TOUGH

AND COULD WITHSTAND PUNISHMENT,

WELL,
HE COULD WITHSTAND PUNISHMENT

BECAUSE HIS SKULL WAS THICKER,

BECAUSE HE WAS INSENSITIVE
TO PAIN;

THAT IT REALLY WAS A SIGN
OF SOME LARGER INFERIORITY.

IF HE WAS A SMART BOXER,
A WILY BOXER,

THEN HE WAS SLIGHTLY DECEPTIVE.

THEN THERE WAS
SOMETHING UNTRUSTWORTHY

ABOUT HIS ACTIVITY
IN THE RING.

FOR A GROUP OF PEOPLE
TO BE ENSLAVED

FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS,

DOING MANUAL LABOR EVERY DAY,

AND END UP BEING CALLED LAZY,

AND NOT THE PEOPLE
WHO WERE SITTING ON THE PORCH

DRINKING THE MINT JULEPS,

THAT'S A REAL PHENOMENON
IN ITSELF.

Narrator: WHITE THEORIES
ABOUT BLACKS

MEANT NOTHING
TO JACK JOHNSON.

HE JUST KEPT FIGHTING
AND WINNING.

BY 1902 HE HAD WON
AT LEAST 27 TIMES,

FIGHTING OTHER
UP-AND-COMING HEAVYWEIGHTS--

WHITE AS WELL AS BLACK.

HE WAS MAKING GOOD MONEY NOW--

SOMETIMES AS MUCH AS
$1,000 A FIGHT--

BUT HE WAS GROWING RESTLESS,

AND HE HAD SET HIS SIGHTS
ON THE BIGGEST

AND MOST IMPOSSIBLE PRIZE
OF THEM ALL.

AGAINST ALL ODDS,
JACK JOHNSON WAS DETERMINED

TO BE THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
OF THE WORLD.

Man: "IT WAS EASY TO LIKE
JACK JOHNSON IN THOSE DAYS.

"I WAS, OF COURSE, IMPRESSED
BY HIS HUGE AND PERFECT FORM,

"HIS TERRIBLE STRENGTH,

"AND THE SUPREME EASE AND GRACE
OF HIS EVERY MUSCULAR MOVEMENT.

"HOWEVER, WATCHING HIS FACE,
SAD UNTIL HE SMILED,

"LISTENING TO HIS SOFT SOUTHERN
SPEECH AND LAUGHTER,

"AND HEARING HIM TALK
SO WISTFULLY

"ABOUT HIS BIG CHANCE
YET TO COME,

"I FOUND IT DIFFICULT
TO THINK OF HIM

AS A PRIZEFIGHTER."

JAMES WELDON JOHNSON.

Narrator: ON MAY 16, 1902,
AT THE AGE OF 24,

JOHNSON GOT
HIS FIRST BIG BREAK:

A FIGHT IN LOS ANGELES
WITH JACK JEFFRIES,

THE YOUNGER BROTHER

OF THE CURRENT HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION JIM JEFFRIES.

JACK JEFFRIES
RESEMBLED A GREEK GOD,

THE "LOS ANGELES TIMES"
REASSURED ITS READERS,

WHILE JOHNSON WAS JUST
A GOOD-NATURED BLACK ANIMAL;

A LONG, LEAN, BULLET-HEADED,
FLAT-CHESTED COON.

Man: "MISTAH JOHNSING
IS ONE OF THOSE AFRICANS

"WHO LOOK TOO BLACK
TO HAVE THE HEART OF A FIGHTER,

"BUT HE HAS NOT YET
SHOWN THE WHITE FEATHER.

"STILL, IF THERE IS A FAVORITE,
THE WHITE MAN IS IT.

"HE CERTAINLY HAS A HOST
OF WELL-WISHERS HERE,

AND HIS WOULD BE
A POPULAR VICTORY."

"LOS ANGELES TIMES."

Narrator: JACK JEFFRIES
SHARED HIS BROTHER'S LAST NAME

BUT NONE OF HIS TALENT.

JOHNSON TOYED WITH HIM
FOR 5 ROUNDS,

KNOCKED HIM OUT,

THEN HELPED CARRY HIM
TO HIS CORNER.

SEATED AT RINGSIDE

WAS THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
JIM JEFFRIES.

JOHNSON LEANED OVER
AND TOLD THE CHAMPION

HE COULD WHIP HIM, TOO.

FEW WOULD HAVE
PUT MONEY ON THAT.

JIM JEFFRIES
WAS A FEARSOME FIGHTER

AND A LEGEND TO HIS FANS.

A BIG, HARD-HITTING,
ONE-TIME BOILERMAKER,

HE HAD TWICE KNOCKED OUT
THE GREAT JIM CORBETT,

ONCE KEPT A GRIZZLY BEAR
AS A PET,

AND WAS SAID TO HAVE DRUNK
AN ENTIRE CASE OF WHISKEY

IN TWO DAYS

TO CURE HIMSELF OF PNEUMONIA.

JEFFRIES HAD FOUGHT
AND BEATEN BLACK BOXERS

BEFORE WINNING THE TITLE,

BUT NOW AS CHAMPION,
HE, TOO, DREW THE COLOR LINE.

"WHEN THERE ARE
NO WHITE MEN LEFT TO FIGHT,"

JEFFRIES SAID,

"I WILL QUIT THE BUSINESS."

Man: "THIS FELLOW JOHNSON
IS A FAIR FIGHTER,

"BUT HE IS A BLACK,

"AND FOR THAT REASON
I WILL NEVER FIGHT HIM.

"IF I WERE NOT CHAMPION,

"I WOULD AS SOON MEET A NEGRO
AS ANY OTHER MAN,

"BUT THE TITLE
WILL NEVER GO TO A BLACK MAN

IF I CAN HELP IT."

JIM JEFFRIES.

Narrator: MEANWHILE,
THERE WERE STILL MORE VICTORIES

AND MORE HEADLINES
FOR JACK JOHNSON.

IN LOS ANGELES
IN FEBRUARY OF 1903,

JOHNSON BEAT DENVER ED MARTIN

TO WIN THE UNOFFICIAL
NEGRO HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP.

HE THEN DEFEATED

THE OTHER 3 BEST
BLACK HEAVYWEIGHTS OF HIS DAY:

SAM McVEY...

JOE JENNETTE...

AND SAM LANGFORD.

SPORTSWRITERS LIKED TO REFER
TO JOHNSON AS "THE DINGE,"

"THE ETHIOPIAN,"

AND "THE BIG SMOKE,"

BUT THEY WERE
PAYING ATTENTION NOW,

AND JOHNSON PROVIDED GOOD COPY.

THEY WROTE ABOUT
HIS FINELY TAILORED SUITS,

THE GOLD CAPS HE HAD PLACED
ON HIS FRONT TEETH,

THE GRAND WAY HE HANDED OUT
NICKELS TO NEWSBOYS

AFTER EVERY WIN.

HE WAS WHAT WAS CALLED
A "SPORT,"

AT HOME
IN THE UNIQUELY INTEGRATED WORLD

OF GAMBLERS, FIXERS,
HIGH FASHION, AND FAST WOMEN

THAT HAVE ALWAYS
SURROUNDED THE FIGHT GAME.

A GREAT WORD THAT WE HAVE LOST
IS THE "SPORT."

EVERYTHING HAD TO BE
LARGER THAN LIFE.

THE SPORT DRANK
IN A CERTAIN WAY.

HE DRESSED LARGER THAN LIFE.

HE WORE
DIAMOND STICKPINS.

HE WORE WIDE LAPELS.

THEY FREQUENTED
HOUSES OF PROSTITUTION.

IF THEY WERE MARRIED,
YOU COULDN'T TELL.

THEY WERE IN THE KNOW.

AND JACK JOHNSON
WAS THE QUINTESSENTIAL SPORT.

Crouch:
YOU LOOK AT JACK JOHNSON

AND SAY,
"JACK JOHNSON WAS SHARP."

I MEAN, EVERYTHING HE HAD ON:

THE SHOES HE PICKED,
THE SOCKS HE WORE,

THE CUT OF HIS PANTS,
THE CUT OF HIS JACKETS,

THE SHIRTS, THE TIES.

HE WAS ALWAYS--THE HATS--

HE WAS ALWAYS
MUCH SHARPER THAN THEY WERE.

SO, HE'S LIKE THIS
BIG BLACK BEAU BRUMMELL

IN THESE BEAUTIFUL CLOTHES

AND SMILING WITH HIS GOLD TEETH
AT THE CAMERA AS IF,

"I'M HERE, AND YOU'RE NOT."

Narrator:
SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY,

JOHNSON HAD MET
A YOUNG BLACK WOMAN

NAMED MARY AUSTIN,

WHO TRAVELED
WITH HIM FOR A TIME.

ALTHOUGH THEY WERE NEVER
ACTUALLY MARRIED,

SHE WAS INTRODUCED EVERYWHERE
AS HIS WIFE.

SHE WOULD BE THE FIRST
OF MANY MRS. JACK JOHNSONS.

LATER, MARY WOULD BE REPLACED
BY A PROSTITUTE,

A SPORTING WOMAN
NAMED CLARA KERR,

WITH WHOM HE MOVED
TO AN ALL-WHITE NEIGHBORHOOD

IN BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA.

WHEN LOCAL MERCHANTS
HAD HIM ARRESTED

FOR BEING SLOW
TO PAY HIS BILLS,

A REPORTER REVEALED WHAT ELSE
WAS BEHIND IT.

IT IS SAID THAT JACK HAD MADE
HIMSELF SOMEWHAT OBNOXIOUS

TO VARIOUS PERSONS
WHO ARE UNHAPPY

THAT HE IS LIVING
IN THE FORBIDDEN DISTRICT.

JOHNSON STAYED PUT.

AND WHEN HIS WHITE MANAGER
SUGGESTED

THAT HE AND CLARA
WERE GETTING ABOVE THEMSELVES,

JOHNSON FIRED HIM.

HE NEVER SAW ANY REASON
TO TAKE ORDERS FROM ANYBODY,

A POSITION THAT
PUT HIM AT ODDS

WITH THE MOST POWERFUL BLACK MAN
IN AMERICA.

Man: "IN ALL THINGS
THAT ARE PURELY SOCIAL,

"WE CAN BE AS SEPARATE
AS THE FINGERS

"YET ONE AS THE HAND

IN ALL THINGS ESSENTIAL
TO MUTUAL PROGRESS."

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON.

Narrator: AN EX-SLAVE
WHO RAN THE TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE

IN ALABAMA,

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON ARGUED

THAT THE BEST WAY
FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS

TO BETTER THEMSELVES
ECONOMICALLY

WAS TO ACCEPT THE SEPARATION
OF THE RACES,

AT LEAST FOR
THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE.

THAT DIDN'T SIT WELL
WITH SOME AFRICAN-AMERICANS

WHO WERE BORN AFTER SLAVERY.

THEY CALLED THEMSELVES
NEW NEGROES.

JACK JOHNSON WAS A NEW NEGRO.

Man as Johnson:
"WHITE PEOPLE OFTEN POINT

"TO THE WRITINGS
OF BOOKER T. WASHINGTON

"AS THE BEST EXAMPLE
OF A DESIRABLE ATTITUDE

"ON THE PART OF
THE COLORED POPULATION.

"I HAD NEVER BEEN ABLE
TO AGREE

"WITH THE POINT OF VIEW
OF WASHINGTON

"BECAUSE HE HAS,
TO MY MIND,

"NOT BEEN ALTOGETHER FRANK
IN HIS STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS

"OR COURAGEOUS
IN HIS SOLUTION TO THEM.

"I HAVE FOUND NO BETTER WAY
OF AVOIDING RACE PREJUDICE

"THAN TO ACT WITH PEOPLE
OF OTHER RACES

AS IF PREJUDICE DID
NOT EXIST."

JACK JOHNSON.

Man: "LOS ANGELES TIMES."

"JACK JOHNSON IS NOW THE LOGICAL
OPPONENT FOR CHAMPION JEFFRIES.

"THE COLOR-LINE GAG
DOES NOT GO NOW.

"JOHNSON HAS MET ALL COMERS
IN HIS CLASS,

"HAS DEFEATED EACH
ANEVERY ONE.

"NOW HE STANDS READY TO BOX
FOR THE WORLD'S CHAMPIONSHIP.

"WHEN THEY MEET,
THE WORLD WILL SEE A BATTLE

"BEFORE WHICH THE GLADIATORIAL
COMBATS OF ANCIENT ROME

"PALE INTO
CHILDISH INSIGNIFICANCE.

"AND MEET THEY SOMEDAY WILL.

IT'S UP TO JEFFRIES
TO SAY WHEN."

Narrator:
BY THE END OF 1903,

JACK JOHNSON'S TALENTS
COULD NOT BE IGNORED.

EVEN THE "POLICE GAZETTE,"

THE MOST INFLUENTIAL
SPORTING PAPER IN THE COUNTRY,

BEGAN TO CALL ON JEFFRIES
TO GIVE JOHNSON A CHANCE.

BUT JIM JEFFRIES CONTINUED
TO SAY NO.

ONE NIGHT IN OCTOBER 1904,

JOHNSON CORNERED THE CHAMPION
IN A SAN FRANCISCO SALOON

AND DEMANDED A SHOT
AT THE TITLE.

JEFFRIES REFUSED AGAIN
TO MEET JOHNSON

OR ANY OTHER BLACK CHALLENGER
IN THE RING.

BUT THE CHAMPION
PUT $2,500 ON THE BAR

AND TOLD JACK JOHNSON HE'D
FIGHT HIM IN THE CELLAR ALONE.

IF JOHNSON COULD MANAGE
TO MAKE IT BACK UP THE STAIRS,

HE COULD KEEP THE MONEY.

JOHNSON STALKED OUT.

"I AIN'T A CELLAR FIGHTER,"
HE SAID.

FINALLY, IN 1905,

JEFFRIES DECLARED THAT
SINCE HE HAD NOW ELIMINATED

ALL LOGICAL OPPONENTS,
BY WHICH HE MEANT WHITE ONES,

HE WOULD RETIRE UNDEFEATED

TO HIS FARM
OUTSIDE BURBANK, CALIFORNIA,

AND GROW ALFALFA.

FIRST, THOUGH,
HE WOULD REFEREE A CONTEST

BETWEEN TWO WHITE CHALLENGERS.

THE HEAVYWEIGHT TITLE
WOULD GO TO THE WINNER.

A FIGHTER
NAMED MARVIN HART WON,

ONLY TO LOSE THE CHAMPIONSHIP
TWO YEARS LATER

TO A YOUNG CANADIAN,
NOAH BRUSSO,

WHO FOUGHT UNDER THE NAME
OF TOMMY BURNS.

LIKE JEFFRIES,

BURNS WAS UNWILLING
TO GIVE JACK JOHNSON A CHANCE.

IF JOHNSON HAD BEEN FRUSTRATED
BEFORE JIM JEFFRIES RETIRED,

HE WAS COLDLY ANGRY AFTERWARDS.

JOHNSON SOMETIMES TOOK IT EASY
ON BLACK OPPONENTS,

TURNING PRIZEFIGHTS
INTO MERE EXHIBITIONS.

HE FOUGHT HIS FRIEND
JOE JENNETTE

5 TIMES IN ONE YEAR.

BUT LESSER
WHITE OPPONENTS

WHO DARED TO GET INTO THE RING
WITH JOHNSON

OFTEN RECEIVED
VERY DIFFERENT TREATMENT.

HE SAVAGED JACK MONROE;

KNOCKED JOE GRIM DOWN
MORE THAN 20 TIMES;

KNOCKED OUT CHARLIE HAGHEY
IN ONE ROUND;

DEMOLISHED FORMER HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION BOB FITZSIMMONS IN TWO.

WHEN JOHN L. SULLIVAN,
THE OLD CHAMPION,

HELPED GROOM A ONE-TIME WRESTLER
NAMED KID CUTLER

ESPECIALLY TO DEFEAT JOHNSON,

JOHNSON DID AWAY WITH HIM
IN THE FIRST ROUND,

THEN SHOUTED TO SULLIVAN,

"HOW'D YOU LIKE THAT,
CAPTAIN JOHN?"

LINCOLN [INDISTINCT]
ONCE OBSERVED

THAT AMERICAN VIRTUOSITY
IS BASED UPON

MAKING SOMETHING DIFFICULT
LOOK EASY.

THAT'S ONE OF THE NEGRO'S
BEST SKILLS.

AND I THINK THAT THAT MAY
REALLY HAVE IRRITATED PEOPLE,

BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
JOHNSON WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE--

SOMETIMES WHEN BOXING SOME GUY,
HE'D HOLD HIM

AND SAY TO HIS WHITE GIRLFRIEND
IN THE FIRST ROW,

"SAY, BABY, WHAT ROUND YOU WANT
ME TO KNOCK THIS CHUMP OUT IN?"

"KNOCK HIM OUT IN 4, JACK."
"OK."

"WHAT ROUND IS IT, BABY?"
"FOURTH ROUND, JACK."

SPLAT! BAM!

NOW, IF THAT'S TRUE
AND NOT JUST LEGEND,

THAT REALLY
HAD TO IRRITATE PEOPLE.

Narrator: JOHNSON WAS

A NATIONALLY KNOWN
PERSONALITY NOW,

BUT THERE WAS MUCH MORE
BELOW THE SURFACE

THAT THE PUBLIC RARELY SAW.

HE WAS AN AVID READER
AND A STUDENT OF HISTORY,

AN ADMIRER OF NAPOLEON,

WHO, LIKE HIM,
HAD RISEN TO FAME FROM NOWHERE.

HE WAS ENDLESSLY CURIOUS,
DABBLED IN INVENTIONS

AND WOULD EVENTUALLY HOLD
A PATENT FOR A WRENCH

TO FIX THE FAST CARS
HE NOW LOVED TO DRIVE.

HE HAD A NEW AND WELL-CONNECTED
MANAGER NAMED SAM FITZPATRICK,

AND IF A FAIR CHANCE
AT THE CHAMPIONSHIP

CONTINUED TO ELUDE HIM,

HE WAS STILL FIGHTING
TOP FIGHTERS

ALL OVER THE COUNTRY,

NOW EARNING
UP TO $3,000 A NIGHT

AND SPENDING NEARLY EVERY DOLLAR
HE MADE.

HIS PRIVATE LIFE
HAD BEGUN TO CHANGE AS WELL.

CLARA KERR HAD RUN OFF
WITH AN OLD FRIEND OF HIS,

AND JOHNSON HAD BEGUN TO TRAVEL
OPENLY WITH WHITE WOMEN.

HIS MOST FREQUENT COMPANION NOW

WAS ANOTHER SPORTING WOMAN FROM
NEW YORK NAMED HATTIE McCLAY.

WHEN JOHNSON WAS WARNED
TO BE MORE DISCREET,

HE WAS UNREPENTANT.

"I HAVE THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE
WHO MY MATE SHALL BE

WITHOUT THE DICTATION
OF ANY MAN," HE SAID.

"I AM NOT A SLAVE."

LATER HE WOULD WRITE,
"BECAUSE MY ANCESTORS CAME HERE

"BEFORE ANYONE HAD DREAMED
OF A UNITED STATES,

I CONSIDER MYSELF
A PURE-BLOODED AMERICAN."

MUCH OF THE ANGER AND RESENTMENT
DIRECTED AT JACK JOHNSON

THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE

WOULD BE CAUSED BY WHAT ONE
AFRICAN-AMERICAN WRITER CALLED

"HIS UNFORGIVABLE BLACKNESS."

BETWEEN 1901 AND 1910,

846 AMERICANS WERE LYNCHED
IN THE UNITED STATES.

754 OF THEM
WERE AFRICAN-AMERICANS--

SOME MURDERED MERELY BECAUSE
SOMEONE HAD WHISPERED

THAT THEY HAD BEEN TOO FAMILIAR
WITH WHITE WOMEN.

Man as Johnson: "I CHASED
TOMMY BURNS AROUND THE WORLD

"IN ORDER TO GET HIM
INTO THE RING WITH ME.

"IT WAS A TWO-YEAR JOB.

"I TOOK ON
EVERY POTENTIAL CONTENDER

"BETWEEN MYSELF
AND THE CHAMPION.

I VIRTUALLY HAD TO MOW
MY WAY TO BURNS."

"ALWAYS HE MADE EXCUSES,

"AND HE OPENLY INSULTED ME
BY UTTERING UNPRINTABLE REMARKS

AND CALLING ME YELLOW."

Narrator: RATHER THAN FACE
JACK JOHNSON,

THE CHAMPION TOMMY BURNS TOOK ON
A SERIES OF WHITE CHALLENGERS.

HE FOUGHT AND KNOCKED OUT
ONE MAN 3 DIFFERENT TIMES

WHILE CONTINUING
TO TELL REPORTERS,

"ALL COONS ARE YELLOW."

BUT JOHNSON REFUSED
TO BE IGNORED.

EVERYWHERE BURNS WENT,

SAN FRANCISCO TO NEW YORK...

NEW YORK TO PARIS...

PARIS TO LONDON...

JOHNSON WENT, TOO,
MOCKINTHE CHAMPION,

QUESTIONING HIS COURAGE,

DEMANDING HIS RIGHT
TO BE TESTED IN THE RING,

AND PROVOKING
THE FOREIGN PRESS.

Man:
"WITH MONEY IN HIS POCKET

"AND PHYSICAL TRIUMPH
OVER WHITE MEN IN HIS HEART,

"HE DISPLAYS ALL THE GROSS
AND OVERBEARING INSOLENCE

"WHICH MAKES WHAT WE CALL
THE BUCK NIGGER INSUFFERABLE.

"HE IS ONE OF THE COMPARATIVELY
FEW MEN OF AFRICAN BLOOD WHO,

"IN A HALF-PERCEIVING WAY,

"DESIRE TO MAKE
THE WHITE MAN PAY

FOR THE UNDOUBTED ILL-TREATMENT
OF HIS FORBEARS."

Narrator: BUT JOHNSON'S SKILLS
WERE UNDENIABLE,

AND BURNS' INCREASINGLY
DESPERATE EFFORTS TO DUCK HIM

BEGAN TO WIN JOHNSON
PUBLIC SYMPATHY.

KING EDWARD VII HIMSELF,
AN AVID BOXING FAN,

IS SAID TO HAVE DISMISSED
THE CANADIAN CHAMPION

AS A MERE BLUFFER.

BURNS WAS A GOOD FIGHTER,

AND DID NOT DRAW
THE COLOR LINE EXACTLY.

HE SIMPLY PUT A PRICE ON IT,

REFUSING TO CONSIDER BREAKING IT
FOR LESS THAN $30,000,

A SUM SO VAST HE WAS SURE NO ONE
WOULD EVER COME UP WITH IT.

HE WAS WRONG.

IN THE FALL OF 1908,

A FLAMBOYANT AUSTRALIAN PROMOTER
WHO HAD DONE EVERYTHING

FROM SELL PIES
TO SERVE IN PARLIAMENT,

PUT UP THE MONEY.

HIS NAME WAS
HUGH "HUGE DEAL" McINTOSH.

NOW SUDDENLY THE PEOPLE
BEHIND JOHNSON ARE SAYING,

"$30,000, TOMMY, $30,000.

WE WILL PAY YOU $30,000
TO FIGHT JACK JOHNSON."

Narrator: BURNS HAD
RUN OUT OF EXCUSES.

HE ACCEPTED THE 30,000

PLUS THE LION'S SHARE
OF THE PROCEEDS

THAT WOULD COME FROM
SHOWING MOVIES OF THE CONTEST.

JOHN L. SULLIVAN WAS LIVID.

"SHAME ON BURNS," HE SAID,

"FOR UPSETTING
GOOD AMERICAN PRECEDENT."

JOHNSON WAS TO BE PAID
JUST $5,000,

BUT HE'D GOTTEN HIS CHANCE.

THE FIGHT WAS SET FOR
THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS, 1908,

IN SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA.

Man: "THIS BATTLE MAY,
IN THE FUTURE,

"BE LOOKED BACK UPON

"AS THE FIRST GREAT BATTLE
OF AN INEVITABLE RACE WAR.

"THERE IS MORE IN THIS FIGHT
TO BE CONSIDERED

THAN THE PUGILISTIC TITLE
OF CHAMPION OF THE WORLD."

"THE AUSTRALIAN STAR."

Narrator:
"I'LL BEAT THIS NIGGER,"

THE CHAMPION TOLD THE PRESS,
"OR MY NAME ISN'T TOMMY BURNS."

IT WASN'T, OF COURSE.

HIS REAL NAME
WAS NOAH BRUSSO.

ONE AUSTRALIAN SPORTSWRITER
DECLARED THAT THE FIGHT

WOULD PIT WHITE BEAUTY
AGAINST BLACK UNLOVELINESS,

BUT AUSTRALIAN WOMEN FLOCKED
TO JOHNSON'S TRAINING CAMP

JUST TO HAVE A LOOK AT HIM.

Man as Johnson:
"HOW DOES BURNS WANT IT?

"DOES HE WANT IT FAST
AND WILLING?

"I'M HIS MAN IN THAT CASE.

"DOES HE WANT IT FLATFOOTED?

"GOODNESS, IF HE DOES,
WHY, I'M HIS MAN AGAIN.

"ANYTHING TO SUIT.

BUT FAST OR SLOW,
I'M GONNA WIN."

Narrator:
IN THE EVENINGS,

JOHNSON PUT ON
IMPROMPTU AFTER-DINNER SHOWS

AT THE SIR JOSEPH BANKS HOTEL,

PLAYING HIS BASS FIDDLE.

AMONG THE NEWSPAPERMEN
ASSIGNED TO THE BIG FIGHT

WAS THE CELEBRITY NOVELIST
JACK LONDON.

HE HAD BEEN A MILL WORKER
AND A HOBO, A CONVICT,

A SAILOR,
AND A LUCKLESS GOLD MINER

BEFORE BECOMING A WRITER.

AND HE WAS
A COMMITTED SOCIALIST.

HIS SOLIDARITY WITH
THE WORKINGMAN, HOWEVER,

DID NOT EXTEND
TO BLACK PEOPLE.

Man as London: "PERSONALLY,
I AM WITH BURNS ALL THE WAY.

"HE IS A WHITE MAN,
AND SO AM I.

"NATURALLY, I WANT TO SEE
THE WHITE MAN WIN.

"PUT THE CASE TO JOHNSON

"AND ASK HIM IF HE WERE
THE SPECTATOR AT A FIGHT

"BETWEEN A WHITE MAN
AND A BLACK MAN

WHICH HE WOULD LIKE
TO SEE WIN."

JACK LONDON.

Sugar: THE STADIUM WAS
RIGHT OUTSIDE OF SYDNEY

IN A PLACE CALLED
RUSHCUTTER'S BAY.

AND THEY PACKED IT
WITH NARY A BLACK FACE IN IT

AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING
THAT IF IT GOT OUT OF HAND,

THE LOCAL CONSTABULARY WOULD
COME IN AND STOP THE FIGHT.

Narrator:
THE FIGHT WAS SCHEDULED

FOR 20 3-MINUTE ROUNDS.

AS JOHNSON WAITED
TO BE INTRODUCED,

SOME IN THE CROWD JEERED
AND CURSED AT HIM.

HE SHOWED NO SIGN
THAT HE HEARD THEM,

BOWING GRANDLY
IN ALL DIRECTIONS,

EVEN BLOWING KISSES
TO THE CROWD.

THE REFEREE WAS
HUGE DEAL McINTOSH HIMSELF.

[BELL RINGS]

THE OPENING BELL RANG
AT 11:07 IN THE MORNING.

"HERE I AM, TOMMY,"
JOHNSON SAID AS HE CAME FORWARD.

"WHO TOLD YOU I WAS YELLOW?"

WITHIN A FEW SECONDS,
BURNS WAS ON THE FLOOR.

BURNS GOT UP...
AND WAS KNOCKED DOWN AGAIN.

Man as Johnson:
"BURNS WAS A STRONG FELLOW

"AND HAD A GOOD
RIGHT-HAND PUNCH,

BUT I HAD FORGOTTEN MORE ABOUT
BOXING THAN BURNS EVER KNEW."

[CROWD CHEERING]

Narrator: BURNS CALLED JOHNSON
A CUR, A BIG DOG.

"COME ON AND FIGHT, NIGGER,"
HE SAID.

"FIGHT LIKE A WHITE MAN."

[PUNCH]

Man as Johnson: "BURNS STARTED
IT BY CALLING ME A YELLOW CUR

"AND UD OTHER LANGUAGE

"WHICH IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE
FOR ME TO REPORT.

"I ONLY KIDDED HIM
IN A NICE WAY,

"BUT HE USED
THE OTHER SORT OF LANGUAGE.

"IF I HAD KILLED BURNS
FOR THE LANGUAGE HE USED TO ME,

I WOULD HAVE BEEN
FULLY JUSTIFIED."

Narrator:
BURNS AND HIS CORNERMEN

KEPT UP A TORRENT
OF RACIAL ABUSE.

JOHNSON JUST SMILED BACK
AND GAVE AS GOOD AS HE GOT.

HE POINTED TO PARTS
OF HIS OWN BODY--

HIS STOMACH, HIS SIDES.

"HIT HERE, TOMMY,"
HE SAID, "HIT HERE."

WHENEVER BURNS TRIED,
JOHNSON BATTERED HIM AGAIN.

[BELL RINGS]

Roberts: AND THEN HE STARTS
TO EMASCULATE HIM.

YOU KNOW,
HE STARTS SAYING THINGS LIKE,

"WHERE DID YOU LEARN
TO PUNCH, TOMMY?

"DID YOUR MOTHER TEACH YOU
HOW TO PUNCH?

"YOU PUNCH LIKE A WOMAN.
YOU PUNCH LIKE A GIRL.

WHAT'S THE MATTER, TOMMY?"

AND THE CROWD'S HEARING THIS,

AND JACK JOHNSON, HE'S ALMOST
BORED WITH THE FIGHT.

HE'S TALKING TO PEOPLE
IN THE CROWD.

HE'S TALKING TO
PEOPLE IN BURNS' CORNER.

THAT'S MORE OF A FIGHT THAN
WHAT'S TAKING PLACE IN THE RING.

Sugar:
JOHNSON NEVER CEASED SMILING

WHEN THE UNCOMPLIMENTARY REMARKS
WERE ADDRESSED TO HIM,

NOR DID HE CEASE SMILING

AS HE PROCEEDED TO WALLOP
THE NAUGHTY BOY

FOR HIS IMPERTINENCE,
BUT WALLOP HIM HE DID,

IN SO SMILING
AND SUMMARY A FASHION

AS TO TAKE THE STEAM
OUT OF BURNS' VERBAL PUNCHES.

Roberts: AND HE JUST KEEPS
GRINDING HIM DOWN,

ROUND AFTER ROUND
AFTER ROUND...

EXPOSING THE FALLACIES
OF ALL THE BELIEFS

THAT AMERICANS HELD--
ITE AMERICANS HELD--

ABOUT BLACK FIGHTERS.

Narrator: TIME AND AGAIN,
WHEN BURNS SEEMED ABOUT TO FALL,

JOHNSON HELD HIM UP SO HE COULD
PUNISH HIM SOME MORE.

SOME IN THE CROWD
NOW BEGAN TO SHOUT,

"STOP THE FIGHT.
STOP THE FIGHT."

Man as London:
"STOP THE FIGHT?

"THE WORD IS A MISNOMER.

"THERE WAS NO FIGHT.

"NO ARMENIAN MASSACRE

"WOULD COMPETE WITH
THE HOPELESS SLAUGHTER

"THAT TOOK PLACE
IN THE SYDNEY STADIUM.

"THE FIGHT,
IF FIGHT IT COULD BE CALLED,

"WAS LIKE THAT BETWEEN
A COLOSSUS AND A TOY AUTOMATON;

"OF A GROWN MAN CUFFING
A NAUGHTY CHILD.

"SO FAR AS DAMAGE WAS CONCERNED,
BURNS NEVER LANDED A BLOW.

"A DEWDROP HAD
MORE CHANCE IN HELL

"THAN HE WITH
THE GIANT ETHIOPIAN.

"IT WAS NOT A CASE
OF TOO MUCH JNSON,

BUT OF ALL JOHNSON."

JACK LONDON.

[BELL RINGS]

Narrator:
FINALLY, IN THE 14th ROUND,

AS JOHNSON MOVED IN
FOR THE KILL...

THE POLICE
STOPPED THE FIGHT

TO SAVE BURNS
FURTHER HUMILIATION

AND ORDERED THE MOVIE CAMERAS
TO STOP GRINDING.

Man: WHEN FINALLY BURNS
IS ABOUT TO BE KNOCKED OUT,

THE WORLD IS SPARED
THE SPECTACLE

OF A BLACK MAN KNOCKING OUT
A WHITE MAN.

AND THE WORLD IS DENIED ACCESS
TO THIS HISTORICAL MOMENT

BECAUSE THE WHITE SUPREMACY
OF THE UNIVERSE IN 1908

IS SO DEMENTED AND EXTREME,

THE KNOCKOUT IS STOPPED,
AND THE FILM IS STOPPED.

[BELL RINGS]

Narrator:
HUGE DEAL McINTOSH

DECLARED JACK JOHNSON
THE WINNER.

BURNS LATER CLAIMED THE FIGHT
HAD BEEN STOPPED TOO SOON.

"THE BIG NIGGER,"
HE TOLD REPORTERS,

"WAS TIRING FAST."

JOHNSON LAUGHED IT OFF.

"BURNS IS THE EASIEST FIGHTER
I EVER MET," HE SAID.

"I COULD HAVE
PUT HIM AWAY QUICKER,

"BUT I WANTED TO PUNISH HIM.

I HAD MY REVENGE."

AT THE AGE OF 30,
AFTER 14 LONG YEARS IN THE RING,

JACK JOHNSON WAS THE HEAVYWEIGHT
CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.

Man as Johnson: "I HAD ATTAINED
MY LIFE'S AMBITION.

"THE LITTLE GALVESTON
COLORED BOY

"HAD DEFEATED
THE WORLD'S CHAMPION BOXER,

"AND FOR THE FIRST
AND ONLY TIME IN HISTORY,

"A BLACK MAN HELD ONE OF
THE GREATEST HONORS WHICH EXISTS

IN THE FIELD OF SPORTS
AND ATHLETICS."

"TO ME, IT WAS NOT
A RACIAL TRIUMPH,

"BUT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY
THE HUE AND CRY WENT UP

BECAUSE A COLORED MAN
WAS HOLDING THE CHAMPIONSHIP."

OH, MY GOODNESS,

A BLACK HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
OF THE WORLD

FOR THE FIRST TIME
IN THE HISTORY OF BOXING.

IT WAS--OH, NO.

IT WAS AN OFFENSE--HA!--
TO THE WHITE MAN.

IT DIDN'T SEEM POSSIBLE
TO HAVE SUCH A THING.

THE PRESS REACTED
AS IF ARMAGEDDON WAS HERE,

THAT THIS MAY BE
THE MOMENT

WHEN IT ALL STARTS TO FALL APART
FOR WHITE SOCIETY.

Narrator:
"NO EVENT IN 40 YEARS,"

SAID THE RICHMOND,
VIRGINIA "PLANET,"

"HAS GIVEN MORE SATISFACTION

"TO THE COLORED PEOPLE
OF THIS COUNTRY

THAN HAS THE SIGNAL VICTORY
OF JACK JOHNSON."

BUT DISAPPOINTED WHITE FANS

NOW DECLARED JOHNSON
AN IMPOSTOR.

TOMMY BURNS HAD NEVER BEEN
CHAMPION AT ALL,

THEY NOW ARGUED.

THE RIGHTFUL TITLE OWNER
REMAINED JIM JEFFRIES.

NO ONE HAD TAKEN
HIS CROWN FROM HIM.

AFTER ALL,
HE HAD RETIRED UNDEFEATED.

JEFFRIES' ADMIRERS
BELIEVED HIM INVINCIBLE,

SO STRONG THAT
HE SHATTERED PEOPLE'S HANDS

WHEN HE SHOOK THEM;

BROKE THE JAWS AND SPLINTERED
THE RIBS OF HIS OPPONENTS;

AND NEVER HIT ANYONE
AS HARD AS HE COULD

FOR FEAR OF KILLING THEM.

Man as London:
"A GOLDEN SMILE TELLS THE STORY,

"AND THE GOLDEN SMILE
IS JOHNSON'S.

"BUT ONE THING REMAINS:

"JEFFRIES MUST EMERGE
FROM HIS ALFALFA FARM

"AND REMOVE THAT SMILE
FROM JOHNSON'S FACE.

JEFF, IT'S UP TO YOU."

JACK LONDON.

Narrator: IN MARCH OF 1909,
JACK JOHNSON AND HATTIE McCLAY

ARRIVED IN VICTORIA,
BRITISH COLUMBIA,

FRESH FROM THE TRIUMPH
IN SYDNEY.

JOHNSON TOLD
THE WAITING REPORTERS

THAT HE WAS WILLING TO DEFEND
HIS TITLE AGAINST JIM JEFFRIES

OR ANY OTHER MAN.

HE ACTED AS IF HE WAS
ON TOP OF THE WORLD,

BUT THINGS WERE NOT QUITE
AS THEY SEEMED.

HE HAD TO FIRE HIS WHITE MANAGER
SAM FITZPATRICK

AFTER A QUARREL ABOUT
THE PRESENCE OF HATTIE McCLAY.

"BEFORE JOHNSON
WON THE TITLE,

HE WOULD FEED OUT OF MY HAND,"
FITZPATRICK SAID.

NOW HE WAS A HARD MAN
TO HANDLE.

AND WHEN
THE AMERICAN PRESS SAW

THAT THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
OF THE WORLD

WAS TRAVELING WITH
A WHITE WOMAN,

ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE.

THE FINEST HOTEL IN VICTORIA
REFUSED HIM A ROOM.

SO DID 5 OF ITS COMPETITORS.

THEN WHEN WORD THAT HE WAS
TRAVELING WITH A WHITE WOMAN

REACHED HIS HOMETOWN
OF GALVESTON,

THE CITY FATHERS CANCELED
A GRAND HOMECOMING PARADE

THAT HAD BEEN PLANNED
IN HIS HONOR.

JOHNSON TRIED
TO SMOOTH THINGS OVER

BY TELLING THE PRESS THAT HATTIE
WAS ONLY PARTLY WHITE

AND CAME FROM MISSISSIPPI.

IT WASN'T TRUE,

BUT JOHNSON THOUGHT HIS PRIVATE
LIFE WAS NOBODY'S BUSINESS.

HE DIDN'T HIDE THE FACT THAT
HE WAS ATTRACTED TO WOMEN

AND TO WHITE WOMEN,

AND HE DIDN'T HIDE THE FACT
THAT THEY WERE ATTRACTED TO HIM.

HE SORT OF MADE THAT
AS PART OF HIS PERSONA.

BUT IT WAS VERY, VERY
THREATENING ALSO AT THE TIME,

AND THAT'S WHY HE GOT IN SUCH
AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF TROUBLE.

Narrator: THE TROUBLE CAME FROM
BOTH SIDES OF THE COLOR LINE.

Man: "IT IS REPORTED
THAT JACK JOHNSON HAS MARRIED

"A WOMAN WHO IS NOT A MEMBER
OF HIS PEOPLE.

"IF THAT REPORT IS TRUE,
THEN JACK JOHNSON IS WRONG,

"ENTIRELY WRONG.

"AND THAT POINT OF ORDER
IS RAISED AND SUSTAINED

"BY EVERY SENSIBLE
AND SELF-RESPECTING NEGRO

"OF THIS COUNTRY.

"JOHNSON WAS BORN AND REARED
IN THE SOUTH,

"WHERE HIS RELATIVES
ILL RESIDE.

"AND IF HE COULD NOT FIND
A WOMAN OF HIS RACE

"SUITABLE FOR A WIFE,

THEN HE OUGHT TO HAVE DIED
A CELIBATE."

"NASHVILLE GLOBE."

Narrator: JOHNSON LIVED ON
THE SOUTH SIDE OF CHICAGO NOW,

ALREADY HOME
TO THOUSANDS OF BLACK REFUGEES

FROM THE JIM CROW SOUTH...

AND SOON TO BECOME ONE OF
THE LARGEST BLACK COMMUNITIES

IN THE COUNTRY.

HE BOUGHT HIS WIDOWED MOTHER
A HANDSOME HOUSE

AT 3344 SOUTH WABASH AVENUE.

BUT HE RARELY STAYED HOME.

HE HAD A NEW MANAGER:

A MAN NAMED GEORGE LITTLE,

WITH POLITICAL CONNECTIONS,

WHO KNEW HIS WAY AROUND

THE SOUTH SIDE VICE DISTRICT
CALLED THE LEVEE.

THE LEVEE WAS HOME TO
500 SALOONS

AND 500 WHOREHOUSES.

JOHNSON WAS WELCOME
ALMOST EVERYWHERE,

BUT ONE DOOR IN CHICAGO
WAS BARRED TO HIM--

THE EVERLEIGH CLUB,
AT 2131 DEARBORN.

IT WAS THE MOST OPULENT BORDELLO
OUTSIDE OF NEW ORLEANS.

ALL THE WOMEN WHO WORKED THERE
WERE WHITE.

SO WERE ALL OF THE CUSTOMERS.

BUT ONE MARCH EVENING IN 1909,
WITH THE HELP OF GEORGE LITTLE,

JACK JOHNSON
MANAGED TO GET INSIDE.

LATER THAT NIGHT,

JOHNSON PERSUADED
3 OF THE CLUB'S EMPLOYEES

TO ACCOMPANY HIM
TO A HOTEL.

THAT SPRING, AT LEAST
6 MORE WOMEN FOLLOWED.

ALL 9 WOULD LOSE THEIR JOBS

FOR SLEEPING WITH
THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.

ONE OF THEM,
23-YEAR-OLD BELLE SCHREIBER,

A POLICEMAN'S DAUGHTER
FROM MILWAUKEE

WHO SAID SHE PREFERRED
THE SPORTING LIFE

TO THE STENOGRAPHY
FOR WHICH SHE HAD BEEN TRAINED,

BECAME JOHNSON'S NEW FAVORITE.

NOW, BOTH SHE AND HATTIE McCLAY
WENT WITH HIM WHENEVER

AND WHEREVER HE ASKED THEM
TO GO.

Crouch: THERE'S ONE STORY
THAT SOME GUY ASKED JOHNSON

WHAT WAS IT ABOUT BLACK GUYS

THAT ATTRACTED WHITE WOMEN
TO THEM?

AND JOHNSON,
WITH A STRAIGHT FACE, SAID,

"WE EAT COLD EELS
AND THINK DISTANT THOUGHTS."

HA HA HA!

NOW, ANYBODY WHO WOULD
SAY THAT,

IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE
TO HATE HIM.

WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?
IT DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING, RIGHT?

BUT IT'S THE PERFECT ANSWER.

[JAZZ MUSIC PLAYING]

Narrator:
JOHNSON ROARED AROUND TOWN

AS IF THERE WERE
NO SPEED LIMITS.

HE TURNED OVER ONCE,
DEMOLISHING HIS CAR,

WALKED AWAY UNSCATHED,

AND HAD BOUGHT HIMSELF
A BRAND-NEW ONE

BY NOON THE NEXT DAY.

HE WOULD BE FINED FOR SPEEDING
SCORES OF TIMES OVER THE YEARS--

SOMETIMES BECAUSE HE REALLY WAS
GOING TOO FAST,

SOMETIMES SIMPLY BECAUSE WHITE
POLICEMEN COULDN'T STAND TO SEE

A BLACK MAN BEHIND THE WHEEL
OF A COSTLY RACING CAR.

Roberts: THERE'S THE STORY ONCE
THAT JACK JOHNSON WAS DRIVING,

AS HE ALWAYS DID,
TOO FAST THROUGH GEORGIA,

THROUGH SOME DUSTY RED CLAY
SECTION OF JIM CROW SOUTH,

AND HE--HE WAS STOPPED
BY A POLICEMAN.

AND THE POLICEMAN SAID,
"WHERE YOU GOING SO FAST, BOY?

THAT'S GONNA COST YOU."

JACK JOHNSON SAID,
"HOW MUCH?"

AND HE SAID, "$50."

AND JACK JOHNSON
PULLED OUT A ROLL--

I MEAN,
A HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP,

A ROLL TO FIT THE HAND
OF A HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION--

AND PEELED OFF
A $100 BILL

AND GAVE IT TO THE TROOPER

AND SAID, "THERE."

AND THE TROOPER SAID,

"I CAN'T CHANGE A 100."

AND JOHNSON SAID,
"KEEP THE CHANGE.

I'M COMING BACK THE SAME WAY
I WENT THROUGH."

Narrator: JOHNSON ALSO JOINED
A TOURING VAUDEVILLE TROUPE,

FOLLOWING A TRADITION
AMONG CHAMPIONS

STARTED BY JOHN L. SULLIVAN.

HE DANCED, JOKED, SHADOWBOXED,
AND SOMETIMES PLAYED THE BASS.

THE MONEY WAS GOOD--
$1,300 A WEEK--

1.5 TIMES WHAT THE AVERAGE
WORKINGMAN MADE IN A YEAR.

BUT WORKING CONDITIONS
WERE TOUGH.

HE WAS BARRED FROM
THE HEATED DRESSING ROOMS

USED BY WHITE PERFORMERS;

SOMETIMES FORCED TO DRESS
IN THE CELLAR.

THEATER MANAGERS TRIED
TO SHORTCHANGE HIM.

HE THREATENED TO KILL ONE
IF HE DIDN'T COME UP WITH

THE $2,500
HE CLAIMED TO BE OWED.

THE MAN PAID UP.

LATER, HE GOT IN TROUBLE
IN NEW YORK CITY

FOR HAVING BEATEN UP A SMALLER
MAN IN A DRUNKEN ARGUMENT.

WHEN HE WAS SERVED
WITH A SUMMONS,

HE THREW IT ON THE FLOOR.

FRIENDS BEGAN TO WORRY MORE
AND MORE ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN

IF STORIES
OF HIS ERRATIC BEHAVIOR

AND RELATIONSHIPS WITH
WHITE WOMEN CONTINUED TO SPREAD.

JOHNSON SIMPLY IGNORED THEM.

Man as Johnson:
"IF AND SUPPOSE--

"TWO SMALL WORDS,

"BUT NOBODY HAS EVER BEEN ABLE
TO EXPLAIN THEM.

"ONE MAN FALLS OUT OF BED
AND IS KILLED.

"ANOTHER FALLS FROM A 50-FOOT
SCAFFOLD AND LIVES.

"ONE MAN GETS SHOT IN THE LEG
AND IS KILLED.

"ANOTHER GETS A BULLET
IN THE BRAIN AND LIVES.

I ALWAYS TAKE A CHANCE
ON MY PLEASURES."

JACK JOHNSON.

Narrator:
AT THE CONEY ISLAND RACETRACK

ONE SPRING AFTERNOON IN 1909,

JOHNSON MET SOMEBODY NEW.

ETTA DURYEA WAS DIFFERENT.

SHE WAS FROM A WELL-TO-DO
BROOKLYN FAMILY;

THE TROUBLED WIFE OF A WEALTHY
RACECOURSE PATRON.

SOON, SHE BECAME
THE MOST IMPORTANT WOMAN

IN HIS ENTOURAGE,

LIVING WITH HIM--
AS OTHERS HAD BEFORE--

AS MRS. JACK JOHNSON.

IT TURNED OUT TO BE
A LONELY LIFE.

PUBLIC APPEARANCES
AT JOHNSON'S SIDE WE RARE

AND ALWAYS FREIGHTED
WITH DANGER.

WHITES SHUNNED HER
FOR CONSORTING WITH A BLACK MAN.

BLACK WOMEN WERE HOSTILE
FOR THE SAME REASON.

EVERYONE STARED.

SHE SPENT MOST OF HER TIME
IN THE HOTEL ROOM

WAITING FOR HER LOVER,

WHO CONTINUED TO TRAVEL
WITH HATTIE McCLAY,

BELLE SCHREIBER, AND SOMETIMES
OTHER WOMEN AS WELL.

ETTA OFTEN CONSOLED HERSELF
WITH CHAMPAGNE.

TWICE, SHE TRIED
TO KILL HERSELF.

Man as Johnson: "THERE HAVE BEEN
COUNTLESS WOMEN IN MY LIFE

"THEY HAVE PARTICIPATED
IN MY TRIUMPHS

"AND SUFFERED WITH ME
IN MY MOMENTS OF DISAPPOINTMENT.

"THEY HAVE INSPIRED ME
TO ATTAINMENT,

"AND THEY HAVE BOUGHT ME.

"THEY HAVE CAUSED ME JOY,

"AND THEY HAVE HEAPED
MISERY UPON ME.

"THEY HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL
TO THE UTMOST,

"AND THEY HAVE BEEN FAITHLESS.

"THEY HAVE PRAISED AND LOVED ME,

"AND THEY HAVE HATED
AND DENOUNCED ME.

"ALWAYS A WOMAN HAS SWAYED ME.

"SOMETIMES MANY HAVE DEMANDED
MY ATTENTION

AT THE SAME MOMENT."

JACK JOHNSON.

Crouch: WELL, IN AMERICA,

YOU HAVE A COUPLE OF MYTHS
ABOUT PARADISE LOST.

ONE OF THEM IS YOUR CHILDHOOD,
WHICH IS SERIOUSLY A MYTH,

AND THE OTHER ONE IS THAT THINGS
USED TO BE GREAT

BELOW THE MASON-DIXON LINE,

WHICH IS AN EVEN BIGGER MYTH
THAN A HAPPY CHILDHOOD.

SO I THINK THAT IN SOME WAY,
THAT GREAT WHITE HOPE,

THAT RETURNING THE TITLE BACK
TO ITS RIGHTFUL ETHNIC GROUP,

CONNECTS TO THE LOST CAUSE
OF THE SOUTH--THE CIVIL WAR--

AND ALL OF THOSE DESIRES
TO GET THINGS BACK TO NORMAL,

I.E., US ON TOP,
THEM BELOW US.

Sugar: THERE BECAME SOMETHING
CALLED "THE WHITE HOPE ERA."

PLOWBOYS, GANDY DANCERS,
RANCHERS...

ANYONE OF THE RIGHT COMPLEXION
WHO WAS 175 POUNDS OR OVER

WAS THOUGHT TO BE A CHALLENGER.

"WE NEED SOMEBODY."

AND THEY CAME
OUT OF THE WOODWORK,

OUT OF THE CIRCUS TENTS,
OUT OF EVERYWHERE.

AND THEY WERE TERRIBLE.

Narrator: WITH JIM JEFFRIES
STAYING STUBBORNLY ON HIS FARM,

PROMOTERS SCOURED
THE CONTINENT

FOR ALTERNATIVE
WHITE CHALLENGERS.

IN THE HEAT OF THE SEARCH,
ONE SPORTSWRITER RECALLED,

WELL-MUSCLED WHITE BOYS
MORE THAN 6' 2" TALL

WERE NOT SAFE
OUT OF THEIR MOTHER'S SIGHT.

ONE BY ONE,
JOHNSON DEMOLISHED THEM ALL.

THE FIRST WAS A YOUNG MAN NAMED
VICTOR McLAGLEN.

JOHNSON TOYED WITH HIM,

NOT EVEN BOTHERING
TO SIT DOWN BETWEEN ROUNDS.

McLAGLEN, GRATEFUL FOR
JOHNSON'S KINDLY TREATMENT,

WENT ON TO BECOME A MOVIE ACTOR
AND WIN AN ACADEMY AWARD

FOR HIS PERFORMANCE
IN JOHN FORD'S "THE INFORMER."

IN THE MONTHS TO COME, JOHNSON
BEAT PHILADELPHIA JACK O'BRIEN,

TONY ROSS,

AND BIG AL KAUFMAN.

AND THEN,
IN OCTOBER OF 1909,

HAVING RUN OUT
OF LIKELY WHITE HEAVYWEIGHTS

HE TOOK ON THE MIDDLEWEIGHT
CHAMPION OF THE WORLD:

THE MICHIGAN ASSASSIN,
STANLEY KETCHEL.

KETCHEL WEIGHED 25 POUNDS LESS
THAN JOHNSON

AND STOOD 3 INCHES SHORTER.

TO FOOL THE PUBLIC
INTO THINKING

THEY WERE MORE OR LESS
THE SAME SIZE,

KETCHEL DRESSED
FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHERS

IN A SPECIALLY CONSTRUCTED
OVERSIZED COAT

AND COWBOY BOOTS
WITH BUILT-IN LIFTS.

BUT KETCHEL'S SIZE
WAS DECEPTIVE.

HE WAS A SAVAGE BRAWLER,

A TUMULTUOUS
FEROCIOUS PERSON--

ACCORDING TO ONE HEAVYWEIGHT

WHO BARELY SURVIVED
A FIGHT WITH HIM--

AND HE HAD AN APPETITE
FOR WOMEN

THAT NEARLY MATCHED
JOHNSON'S OWN.

THE TWO MEN WERE OLDRIENDS.

THEY HAD GAMBLED AND DRUNK

AND HAUNTED WHOREHOUSES
TOGETHER FOR YEARS.

Man: STANLEY KETCHEL WAS
A GREAT MIDDLEWEIGHT--

ONE OF THE ALL-TIME
GREAT MIDDLEWEIGHTS--

AND WAS A GREAT FIGHTER
AND A HUNGRY FIGHTER

AND A STREET-FIGHTER
KIND OF A GUY.

AND JACK JOHNSON OUTWEIGHED HIM
AND OUTREACHED HIM

AND EVERYTHING ELSE,

SO I THINK THIS WAS PROBABLY
A FIGHT WHERE THEY JUST WANTED

TO GO ALONG AND HAVE A GOOD TIME
AND EVERYBODY WOULD GET PAID.

Narrator: THE FIGHT WAS
SCHEDULED FOR 20 ROUNDS.

THE LONGER IT LASTED,

THE MORE LIKELY FIGHT FANS
WOULD PAY TO SEE IT

REPLAYED AT THE MOVIES.

JOHNSON WAS SAID TO HAVE
PROMISED THE PROMOTERS

NOT TO KNOCK KETCHEL OUT,

AND THE VOLATILE KETCHEL
PROMISED NOT TO TRY TO WIN.

[BELL RINGS]

AS THE ROUNDS TICKED BY,

JOHNSON PICKED OFF
KETCHEL'S LUNGES...

COUNTERPUNCHED
WHENEVER HE FELT LIKE IT,

CHATTED WITH RINGSIDERS...

AND CHEERFULLY CARRIED
HIS SMALLER CHALLENGER.

[BELL RINGS]

IN THE 12th, KETCHEL STRAYED
FROM THE SCRIPT.

OUT OF NOWHERE,

HE THREW A RIGHT HAND
AS HARD AS HE COULD.

IT PROVED TO BE
A TACTICAL ERROR.

Early: KETCHEL SEES
AN OPENING

AND LEVELS JOHNSON
AND KNOCKS HIM DOWN.

BIG MISTAKE!
HUGE MISTAKE!

I MEAN, KETCHEL IS
JUST A MIDDLEWEIGHT.

JOHNSON IS A HEAVYWEIGHT,

PLUS, HE'D BE--
YOU KNOW, JOHNSON FELT,

"OH, GOD, THIS GUY IS--
THIS ISN'T IN THE SCRIPT."

OK, HE GETS UP,
AND HE KNOCKS KETCHEL OUT.

IT WAS A PUNCH
THAT WAS SO POWERFUL,

HE TOOK OUT KETCHEL'S TEETH,

AND IN FACT, THERE WERE
A COUPLE OF THE TEETH EMBEDDED

IN JOHNSON'S GLOVE.

BUT HE KNOCKED HIM COLD.

THE MORAL OF THAT STORY IS,
FOLLOW THE SCRIPT,

ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE FIGHTING

A GUY WHO'S BIGGER AND BETTER
THAN YOU ARE.

Sugar:
IT WAS OBVIOUS NOW,

KETCHEL BEING THE BEST
WHITE FIGHTER OUT THERE,

THAT THERE WAS ONLY ONE ANSWER.

IT'S UP TO YOU, JEFF.

IT WAS A THEORY BY MANY

THAT JEFFRIES STILL WAS
THE HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.

HE HAD NOT LOST HIS TITLE
IN THE RING,

WHICH WAS THE ACCEPTED RULE.

HE STILL WAS,
IN THEIR MINDS' EYE,

EVEN LO, THESE 6 YEARS LATER,
THE CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.

Man as Johnson:
"IT AMUSES ME TO HEAR THIS TALK

"OF JEFFRIES CLAIMING
THE CHAMPIONSHIP.

"WHEN A MAYOR LEAVES OFFICE,
HE'S AN EX-MAYOR, ISN'T HE?

"WHEN A CHAMPION LEAVES
THE RING,

"HE'S AN EX-CHAMPION.

"WELL, THAT IS JEFFRIES.

"IF HE WANTS TO TRY TO GET
THE CHAMPIONSHIP BACK,

THEN I'M WILLING
TO TAKE HIM ON."

Narrator: THE PRESSURE
ON THE 34-YEAR-OLD JIM JEFFRIES

TO RETURN TO THE RING
WAS GROWING.

BUT HE LIKED FARMING,

AND NOW WEIGHED
NEARLY 300 POUNDS.

STILL, HUNDREDS OF LETTERS
FLOODED HIS FARM.

THE HONOR OF THE WHITE RACE
WAS AT STAKE.

ONLY HE COULD SAVE IT.

HE WAS, THEY SAID,
"THE GREAT WHITE HOPE."

FINALLY, JEFFRIES GAVE IN

AND BEGAN TO TRAIN FOR
A SHOWDOWN WITH JACK JOHNSON.

ALL THE TOP PROMOTERS
IN THE SPORT

BID FOR THE RIGHT TO STAGE IT.

IN THE END,
A FORMER HORSE WRANGLER

AND UNITED STATES MARSHAL
NAMED TEX RICKARD WON.

RICKARD GUARANTEED $101,000

PLUS MOST OF THE LUCRATIVE
MOTION-PICTURE RIGHTS.

THE WINNER WOULD GET
2/3 OF THE TOTAL.

EACH MAN WOULD ALSO RECEIVE
A $10,000 BONUS UPON SIGNING.

NO ONE HAD EVER SEEN THAT KIND
OF MONEY IN BOXING BEFORE.

Roberts: I THINK JEFFRIES
CAME OUT OF RETIREMENT

FOR A FEW REASONS.

NUMBER ONE WAS MONEY.

$100,000 ISN'T CHUMP CHANGE,

CERTAINLY IN 1910.

NUMBER TWO IS...

I THINK ALL THIS TALK ABOUT,

"JEFF, AMERICA'S DEPENDING
ON YOU.

"THE WHITE RACE
IS DEPENDING ON YOU.

"NOBODY ELSE CAN DO IT.

"WE'VE HAD TWO YEARS
OF GREAT WHITE HOPES,

"AND THEY'VE BEEN
GREAT WHITE JOKES.

"WE NEED YOU.
YOU ARE SPECIAL, JEFF.

YOU CAN STILL DO IT.
YOU CAN BEAT THIS GUY."

AND NUMBER 3...

VERY FEW ATHLETES WANT
TO RETIRE.

Narrator: THE FIGHT WAS
SCHEDULED TO TAKE PLACE

IN SAN FRANCISCO
ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, 1910.

BUT FROM THE MOMENT
THE FIGHT WAS ANNOUNCED,

THERE WAS OPPOSITION.

Man: "IF THE BLACK MAN WINS,

"THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS
OF HIS IGNORANT BROTHERS

"WILL MISREPRESENT HIS VICTORY
AS JUSTIFYING CLAIMS

"TO MUCH MORE
THAN PHYSICAL EQUALITY

WITH THEIR WHITE NEIGHBORS."

"THE NEW YORK TIMES."

Narrator:
RACE HAD A LOT TO DO WITH IT,

BUT SO DID THE GROWING
NATIONAL MOVEMENT

LED BY RELIGIOUS
AND OTHER PROGRESSIVE REFORMERS

AGAINST BOXING ITSELF.

THE SPORT WAS BRUTAL, WICKED,
THEY SAID;

A TERRIBLE EXAMPLE
FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.

AN OHIO CLERGYMAN CALLED
FOR A MILLION POSTCARDS

TO BE SENT TO CALIFORNIA
GOVERNOR J.N. GILLETTE

READING, "STOP THE FIGHT.
THIS IS THE 20th CENTURY."

ON JUNE 6,
THE GOVERNOR GAVE IN

AND REFUSED TO HAVE THE FIGHT
IN CALIFORNIA.

RICKARD, WHO HAD PRESOLD
25,000 TICKETS

AND EVEN BUILT
A BRAND-NEW STADIUM,

HAD JUST OVER 3 WEEKS
TO FIND A NEW VENUE.

PRIZEFIGHTING WAS LEGAL
IN ONLY ONE STATE: NEVADA.

TWO TOWNS
BID FOR THE FIGHT--

GOLDFIELD AND THE DIVORCE
CAPITAL OF AMERICA, RENO.

RICKARD PICKED RENO
MOSTLY BECAUSE RAILROADS

FROM BOTH THE EAST
AND WEST COASTS RAN THROUGH IT.

BUT BEFORE HE WOULD SANCTION
THE BOUT,

NEVADA GOVERNOR
DENVER S. DICKERSON INSISTED

THAT RICKARD ASSURE HIM
MAN-TO-MAN

THAT IT'S ON THE LEVEL.

THERE HAD BEEN WIDESPREAD RUMORS
THAT THE FIGHT WAS FIXED;

THAT JOHNSON HAD AGREED TO LOSE;

THAT ONLY A GUARANTEED VICTORY
COULD HAVE PERSUADED

THE RELUCTANT JEFFRIES
TO RETURN TO THE RING.

RICKARD PROMISED THE GOVERNOR,

"IT WILL BE THE SQUAREST FIGHT
EVER PULLED OFF."

Newfield: AND THE GOVERNOR
OF NEVADA SAID,

"OF COURSE
I'LL WELCOME THE FIGHT.

"WE USUALLY--IN THIS STATE,
WE'RE USED TO SHOOTOUTS

"AND GUNFIGHTS IN SALOONS.

"THIS IS A BOXING MATCH
WITH RULES.

"THIS IS CIVILIZED.

WEAVE NO PROBLEM
WITH A BOXING MATCH."

Narrator:
THE FIGHT WAS BACK ON.

IT WAS BILLED AS
"THE BATTLE OF THE CENTURY."

BUT NO ONE COULD HAVE IMAGINED
THE PASSIONS IT WOULD UNLEASH

ALL AROUND THE WORLD.

Man: "THE COLORED RACES
OUTNUMBER THE WHITES,

"AND HAVE, HITHERTO,
ONLY BEEN KEPT IN SUBJECTION

"BY A RECOGNITION ON THEIR PART

OF PHYSICAL
AND MENTAL INFERIORITY."

"B HERE WE ARE,
THE HITHERTO DOMINANT RACE,

"COMPELLED TO RECOGNIZE
THAT AN AMERICAN NEGRO,

"THE DESCENDANT
OF AN EMANCIPATED SLAVE,

"IS OUR ACKNOWLEDGED MASTER
AT THE ONE GREAT PHYSICAL SPORT

"IN WHICH ACTUAL PERSONAL
SUPERIORITY

CAN EVER BE
AUTHORITATIVELY TESTED."

"DOES ANYONE IMAGINE
FOR A MOMENT

"THAT JOHNSON'S SUCCESS

IS WITHOUT ITS POLITICAL
INFLUENCE?"

"JEFF MAY SMASH JOHNSON
WHEN THEY MEET,

"AND BY SO DOING, RESTORE US TO
SOMETHING LIKE OUR OLD POSITION.

"WE SHALL NEVER QUITE REGAIN IT,

"BECAUSE A RECOLLECTION
OF OUR TEMPORARY DEPOSITION

"WILL ALWAYS REMAIN TO INSPIRE
THE COLORED PEOPLES WITH HOPE.

"WHILE, IF AFTER ALL,

JOHNSON SHOULD SMASH
JEFFRIES..."

BUT THE THOUGHT IS
TOO AWFUL TO CONTEMPLATE."

"BOXING" MAGAZINE.

Man: "THE DARKER RACES
OF MANKIND,

"AND THE BLACK RACE
IN PARTICULAR,

"WILL KEEP THE WHITE RACE BUSY
FOR THE NEXT HUNDRED YEARS

"IN DEFENDING THE INTERESTS
OF WHITE SUPREMACY.

"THE BLACK SINGER'S COMING
WITH HIS SONG;

"THE POET WITH HIS DREAMS;

"THE SCULPTOR WITH HER
CONCEPTION OF BEAUTY AND AWE;

"AND THE SCHOLAR WITH HIS TRUTH.

"THE GREATEST MARATHON RACE
OF THE AGES IS ABOUT TO BEGIN

"BETWEEN THE WHITE RACE
AND THE DARKER RACES OF MANKIND.

"WHAT JACK JOHNSON SEEKS TO DO
TO JEFFRIES IN THE ROPED ARENA

"WILL BE THE AMBITION
OF NEGROES

IN EVERY DOMAIN
OF HUMAN ENDEAVOR."

THE REVEREND REVERDY RANSOM.

Narrator: IN THE WEEKS LEADING
UP TO THE FIGHT,

AND WITH MORE THAN 500 REPORTERS
DESCENDING ON RENO,

EVERY DETAIL OF
THE TWO BOXERS' TRAINING

MADE INTERNATIONAL NEWS.

Man: "JUNE 27, 1910."

"THE MAN IS A PUZZLE--

"PHYSICALLY
THE GREATEST ATHLETE

"THE COLORED RACE HAS PRODUCED

"AND MENTALLY
AS KEEN AS A RAZOR

IN A SORT OF UNDEVELOPED WAY."

"BUT HE FIDDLES AWAY
ON HIS BULL FIDDLE,

"SWAPS JOKES WITH READY WIT,

"SHOOTS CRAPS,
PLAYS BASEBALL,

"LISTENS DREAMILY
TO CLASSICAL LOVE SONGS

"ON THE PHONOGRAPH,

"AND HE'S GOING TO FIGHT
JIM JEFFRIES

FOR THE WORLD'S CHAMPIONSHIP
ONE WEEK FROM TOMORROW."

"CHICAGO TRIBUNE."

Narrator:
JOHNSON AND HIS ENTOURAGE

SET UP CAMP
AT RICK'S ROADHOUSE,

A FEW MILES OUTSIDE RENO.

HE HAD FIRED GEORGE LITTLE
BEFORE COMING TO THE DESERT.

"I AM MY OWN MANAGER
AND ALWAYS HAVE BEEN,"

HE TOLD THE PRESS,

AND HE SEEMED
SUPREMELY CONFIDENT.

Man: "JOHNSON TOOK A SHORT RUN
IN THE MORNING.

"THEN HE RIGGED UP
A KANGAROO TRIAL ON THE VERANDA

"AND PUT HIS ATTENDANTS

"AND ATTACHES OF HIS MENAGERIE
THROUGH THEIR PACES

"FOR VARIOUS REAL
OR FICTITIOUS OFFENSES,

"SUCH AS STEALING CHICKENS
AND FLIRTING WITH WHITE WOMEN.

"JOHNSON CAUGHT TOM FLANAGAN
IN THE YARD

AND GAVE HIM A SOUND TROUNCING
WITH A 4-FOOT STICK."

Man as Jeffries: "I REALIZE
FULL WELL WHAT DEPENDS ON ME,

"AND I AM NOT GOING
TO DISAPPOINT THE PUBLIC.

"THAT PORTION OF THE WHITE RACE
THAT HAS BEEN LOOKING TO ME

"TO DEFEND ITS ATHLETIC
SUPREMACY MAY FEEL ASSURED

"THAT I AM FIT TO DO
MY VERY BEST.

I WILL WIN AS QUICKLY AS I CAN."

JIM JEFFRIES.

Narrator:
AT THE JEFFRIES CAMP,

THE GUM-CHEWING EX-CHAMPION
RECEIVED A STEADY STREAM

OF WELL-WISHERS,
INCLUDING JOHN L. SULLIVAN.

BUT IN PRIVATE, HE WAS TENSE,
SNAPPISH.

"HE GROWLS AND SNARLS AND
GRUMBLES LIKE AN OLD GRIZZLY,"

SOMEONE SAID.

BY THE END OF JUNE,

HE HAD MANAGED TO LOSE
AN ASTOUNDING 100 POUNDS...

AND WAS SAVAGING
HIS SPARRING PARTNERS.

THE FORMER CHAMPION
TOMMY BURNS

PREDICTED JEFFRIES
WOULD WIN EASILY.

"JOHNSON IS GAME
ONLY AGAINST LITTLE FELLOWS

LIKE KETCHEL AND MYSELF,"
HE SAID.

"IF JEFF EVER WALLOPS HIM,
HE'LL CAVE IN ALL HIS RIBS."

JIM CORBETT, WHO HAD HELPED
TRAIN THE EX-CHAMPION, AGREED.

"I WANT JEFFRIES TO WIN,"
HE SAID,

"NOT SO MUCH
BECAUSE JOHNSON IS A NEGRO,

"BUT BECAUSE I THINK HE IS
ONE OF THOSE FRESH NEGROES

"THAT NOT ALONE THINKS HE IS
AS GOOD AS A WHITE MAN,

"BUT IS BETTER.

TAKE IT FROM ME, THE BLACK BOY
HAS A YELLOW STREAK."

JOE CHOYNSKI,
JOHNSON'S OLD MENTOR,

WAS NOW IN JEFFRIES' CAMP, TOO.

EVEN GEORGE LITTLE,
JOHNSON'S EX-MANAGER,

PLANNED TO BET AGAINST
HIS FORMER FRIEND.

Man as London:
"RENO, NEVADA, JULY 1, 1910.

"I AM GLAD I'M HERE.

"NO MAN WHO LOVES
THE FIGHTING GAME,

"HAS THE PRICE,

"AND IS WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE
OF RENO SHOULD MISS THIS FIGHT.

"THERE HAS NEVER BEEN
ANYTHING LIKE IT

IN THE HISTORY OF THE RING."

JACK LONDON.

Man:
"RENO IS A TOWN OF 15,000,

"AND THERE ARE 12,000 VISITORS.

"THIEVES OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES
THRONG THE LITTLE TOWN.

"IF A HAND IS NOT DIPPED INTO
YOUR POCKET SOONER OR LATER,

"IT IS ALMOST A SIGN
OF DISRESPECT.

"PEOPLE EAT AT RAGTIME.

"ONE RESTAURANT WITH A SEATING
CAPACITY OF 40

"SERVED 3,600 SUPPERS.

"FOR SLEEPING, YOU TAKE ANYTHING
YOU CAN GET:

"SOMETIMES A $7 ROOM,
SOMETIMES A PRIVATE CAR,

"A COT, A BILLIARD TABLE,
A HAMMOCK,

OR A PARK BENCH."

Sugar:
THE TOWN WAS BUSTLING.

THE JAILS WERE FULL,

AND THE PEOPLE WERE EXCITED.

BUT IN THE MAIN,
THERE WERE WHITE PEOPLE,

AND THE BETTING PARLOR RUN
BY TOM CORBETT,

JIM'S BROTHER,
WAS TAKING JEFFRIES MONEY.

THERE WAS NO JOHNSON MONEY.

Narrator:
AS CARPENTERS WORKED FURIOUSLY

TO FINISH REASSEMBLING
RICKARD'S SAN FRANCISCO STADIUM,

TENSIONS CONTINUED TO RISE
IN EVERY REGION OF THE COUNTRY.

Man: "PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA,
JULY 3.

"THE POLICE TODAY INTERDICTED
A JOLLIFICATION AND PARADE

"WHICH THE NEGROES
OF THE WILEY AVENUE DISTRICT

"PROPOSED TO HOLD TOMORROW

"IN THE EXPECTATION
THAT JOHNSON WOULD WIN.

"THE POLICE WERE INFORMED
BY THE WHITE RESIDENTS

"THAT LEADERS
OF SEVERAL WARD GANGS

"HAD PLANNED
TO GET ON HOUSETOPS

"AND BOMBARD
THE PARADING NEGROES

"WITH BRICKS FROM CHIMNEYS.

"SEVERAL TOUGH GANGS
SUCH AS THE RED ONIONS,

"THE OWLS, AND THE 49ers

WOULD NOT HESITATE TO START
A RACE RIOT."

"THE NEGROES
ARE IN AN UGLY MOOD,

"CLAIMING THEY HAVE THE RIGHT
TO CELEBRATE THE FOURTH OF JULY,

AND THERE MAY BE TROUBLE."

"CHICAGO TRIBUNE."

Narrator: THE NEXT DAY,
JULY 4, 1910,

THOUSANDS GATHERED IN FRONT
OF BIG-CITY NEWSPAPER OFFICES,

WAITING FOR THE TELEGRAPH
BULLETIN FROM RENO

TO BE POSTED FOR ALL TO SEE.

IN SAN FRANCISCO,
THE "EXAMINER" SET UP A RING

AND HIRED TWO BOXERS,
ONE BLACK, ONE WHITE,

TO REENACT THE FIGHT

ROUND BY ROUND
AND PUNCH BY PUNCH.

BOOKER T. WASHINGTON
DISAPPROVED OF JACK JOHNSON,

BUT EVEN HE HAD A TICKER SET UP

IN THE ASSEMBLY ROOM
AT TUSKEGEE

SO THAT HIS STUDENTS COULD KEEP
TRACK OF WHAT WAS HAPPENING

IN THE RING.

ON THE MORNING OF THE FIGHT,

THE ODDS AGAINST JOHNSON
WERE 10:4.

WHILE WHITE PASSENGERS STARTED
TOWARD THE STADIUM,

SURE JEFFRIES WOULD TAKE BACK
HIS CROWN,

BLACK PULLMAN PORTERS
AND DINER CHEFS

HURRIED TO
THE BETTING BOOTHS

TO BET THEIR WAGES
AND TIPS ON JOHNSON.

THERE WERE ANONYMOUS THREATS
TO KILL HIM IF HE WON,

AND TEX RICKARD POSTED
A DEPUTY SHERIFF AT EVERY GATE

TO CONFISCATE FIREARMS.

Roberts: THE FIGHT WAS
ON JULY 4.

WHEN ELSE ARE YOU GONNA HOLD
A FIGHT LIKE THAT?

IT'S--IT'S ON INDEPENDENCE DAY,
AMERICA'S DAY.

IT'S IN RENO,
SIN CAPITAL OF AMERICA,

WHERE PEOPLE GO TO GET DRUNK
AND DIVORCED AND GAMBLE.

IT'S--IT'S JUST PEOPLE POURING
INTO THE STADIUM.

IT'S FILLING UP.

IT'S JUST...

THE EXCITEMENT--

IT JUST KEEPS BUILDING
AND BUILDING AND BUILDING.

Man as Johnson:
"IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY.

"THE WEATHER,
EXCEPTING FOR THE INTENSE HEAT,

"WAS SUPERB.

"THE ATMOSERE WAS CLEAR
AS CRYSTAL,

"AND ONE COULD SEE
FOR MILES.

"MORE THAN 20,000 PEOPLE
HAD GATHERED TO WATCH THE FIGHT,

"AND AS I SCANNED THAT SEA
OF WHITE FACES,

"I FELT THE AUSPICIOUSNESS
OF THE OCCASION.

"THERE WERE FEW MEN
OF MY OWN RACE

"AMONG THE SPECTATORS.

"I WAS WELL AWARE
THAT MOST OF THAT GREAT AUDIENCE

"WAS HOSTILE TO ME.

"THESE THINGS DID NOT DISTURB
OR WORRY ME.

I WAS COOL
AND PERFECTLY AT EASE."

Man as London:
"IT WAS HALF PAST TWO

"WHEN JOHNSON ENTERED,
HAPPY AND SMILING,

"GREETING FRIENDS
AND ACQUAINTANCES,

"COOL AS ICE

"WITH NEVER A SIGNAL
OF HESITANCY OR TIMIDITY.

"BUT THE GREAT MADNESS
OF APPLAUSE WENT UP

WHEN JEFFRIES
ENTERED THE RING."

[CROWD CHEERING]

"WHEN HE STRIPPED AND HIS
MIGHTY BODY COULD BE SEEN

"COVERED WITH MATS OF HAIR,

"ALL THE PRIMORDIAL ADJECTIVES
EVER APPLIED TO HIM

"RECEIVED THEIR VINDICATION.

"THE MAN OF IRON,
THE GRIZZLY GIANT,

"WAS GRIM AND SERIOUS.

THE MAN OF SUMMER TEMPERAMENT
SMILED AND SMILED."

JACK LONDON.

Narrator: JEFFRIES
REFUSED TO SHAKE HANDS.

[BELL RINGS]

FROM THE OPENING BELL,
JEFFRIES STALKED JOHNSON,

LOOKED FOR AN OPENING,

THEN TRIED
TO FORCE HIS WAY INSIDE.

JOHNSON CALMLY HELD HIS GROUND
AND TIED JEFFRIES UP.

AS JEFFRIES TRIED TO COME IN
BEHIND THAT LONG LEFT--

AND HE ALWAYS FOUGHT
WITH HIS LEFT OUT--

AND HE TRIED TO PUSH HIM
AND HE TRIED TO SHOVE HIM,

AND JOHNSON WOULD JUST HUG HIM
IN THE EARLY ROUNDS.

AND THEN WHEN JEFFRIES
WOULD HUG HIM BACK,

HE WOULD HOLLER,
"NO HUGGING ME, MR. JEFF.

NO HUGGING."

AT ONE POINT,
CORBETT CALLED OUT,

"WHY DON'T YOU
DO SOMETHING, JOHNSON?

WHY DON'T YOU DO SOMETHING?"
TRYING TO GOAD HIM.

AND JOHNSON JUST LOOKED AT HIM
OVER JEFFRIES' SHOULDER

AND SAID, "I'M JUST FIGHTING
LIKE YOU DID, MR. CORBETT."

[BELL RINGS]

Narrator:
FOR THE NEXT SEVERAL ROUNDS,

JEFFRIES ATTEMPTED AGAIN
AND AGAIN TO FORCE THE ACTION,

RUSHING IN AND TRYING TO LAND
BLOWS TO JOHNSON'S MIDSECTION.

BUT THE BRAWLING STYLE THAT
HAD TERRIFIED EARLIER OPPONENTS

HAD NO EFFECT AGAINST JOHNSON'S
IMPENETRABLE DEFENSE

AND FAST HANDS.

IN JEFFRIES' CORNER,

JIM CORBETT SPEWED
A STREAM OF RACIAL INSULTS.

JOHNSON JUST POUNDED JEFFRIES
AND GRINNED BACK.

Crouch: QUITE FRANKLY,
IN HIS CASE,

I DOUBT THAT IT MEANT
ANYTHING TO HIM,

BECAUSE I THINK THAT FINALLY
HE REALIZED THAT THESE GUYS,

EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM,

DID NOT WANT TO BE
IN A ROOM WITH HIM ALONE.

AND SEE, THAT'S A VERY
DIFFERENT KIND OF A FEELING

THAN MOST PEOPLE HAVE.

SO HE KNEW THAT
"YOU CAN CALL ME THESE NAMES,

"BUT WE KNOW THAT IF EVERYBODY
RAN AWAY EXCEPT YOU,

YOU'D START RUNNING, TOO."

Roberts: HE STARTS VERBAL
SIDE PLAY WITH JAMES CORBETT

WHO'S IN JEFFRIES' CORNER,

AND THEY'RE TAUNTING EACH OTHER,
AND JACK JOHNSON'S USED TO THIS.

AND CORBETT'S IDEA
WAS TO MAKE JACK JOHNSON MAD.

BY ROUND 6 OR 7,
CORBETT IS SPITTING.

I MEAN, HE'S SO FURIOUS,
HIS FACE IS RED.

HE CAN'T TAKE IT
VERY MUCH LONGER.

Narrator: "DON'T RUSH, JIM,"
JOHNSON SAID.

I CAN DO THIS ALL AFTERNOON."

"HOW DO YOU FEEL, JIM?
HOW DO YOU LIKE IT?

DOES IT HURT?"

JEFFRIES KEPT TRYING,
BUT IT WAS NOW CLEAR TO EVERYONE

THAT 6 YEARS OUT OF THE RING
HAD BEEN TOO LONG.

HE WAS TOO SLOW, TOO OLD
TO CATCH THE CHAMPION.

UNABLE TO LAND A SOLID PUNCH,

HIS DEFENSE ALL BUT GONE,

JEFFRIES SOMEHOW FOUND THE WILL
TO KEEP MOVING FORWARD,

BUT JOHNSON'S
SHARP, ACCURATE PUNCHES

WERE TAKING A DEVASTATING TOLL.

[BELL RINGS]

BY THE END OF THE 14th ROUND,
JEFFRIES' NOSE WAS BROKEN,

HIS EYES WERE SWOLLEN
NEARLY SHUT,

HIS FACE AND SHOULDERS
AND THIGHS

WERE SPLATTERED
WITH HIS OWN BLOOD,

AND HE WAS DESPERATELY WEARY.

EVEN JIM CORBETT
NOW FELL SILENT.

[BELL RINGS]

FINALLY, IN THE 15th ROUND,
JOHNSON MADE HIS MOVE.

Man: HE WHO HAD
NEVER BEEN KNOCKED DOWN

WAS KNOCKED DOWN REPEATEDLY.

AS HE LAY ACROSS THE LOWER ROPE

WHILE THE SECONDS
WERE TOLLED OFF,

A CRY THAT HAD IN IT TEARS
AND ABJECT BROKEN PRIDE WENT UP.

"DON'T LET THE NIGGER
KNOCK HIM OUT.

DON'T LET THE NIGGER
KNOCK HIM OUT."

Narrator: JEFFRIES' SIDE
CALLED IT QUITS.

[BELL RINGS]

THE FIGHT WAS OVER.

WHEN WHITE FANS
RUSHED INTO THE RING,

JOHNSON'S CORNERMEN FORMED
A PROTECTIVE CIRCLE AROUND HIM.

AS TEX RICKARD RAISED
JOHNSON'S ARM IN VICTORY,

ONE NEWSPAPERMAN NOTED,

THE OVERWHELMINGLY WHITE CROWD

STARTED TO FILE OUT
GRIM AND SILENT.

Crouch: I THINK
THAT JOHNSON-JEFFRIES FIGHT

WAS MORE OR LESS THE BOXING
VERSION OF GETTYSBURG, ACTUALLY:

VERY POORLY THOUGHT OUT.

AND THE IMPACT ON JIM JEFFRIES
WAS VERY OBVIOUS--

THAT I THINK HE FELT
AT THE END OF THAT

THE WAY THOSE
CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS FELT

AFTER THOSE 3 DAYS.

"PERHAPS WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN
WALKING IN ANOTHER DIRECTION."

AND I THINK THAT, ACTUALLY,

JOHNSON PROBABLY
COULD HAVE BEATEN HIM

MUCH EARLIER THAN HE DID.

I THINK THAT HE PROBABLY
WAS SMART ENOUGH TO KNOW

THAT IF HE HAD GONE IN THERE

AND REALLY BEATEN HIM DOWN
IMMEDIATELY,

THERE MIGHT ACTUALLY
HAVE BEEN A RIOT.

Narrator: JACK JOHNSON
WAS NOW THE UNDISPUTED

HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION
OF THE WORLD.

EVEN JEFFRIES
ADMITTED HIS GREATNESS.

"I COULD NEVER HAVE WHIPPED
JACK JOHNSON AT MY BEST,"

HE TOLD HIS FRIENDS.

"I COULDN'T HAVE REACHED HIM
IN A THOUSAND YEARS."

IT WAS THE ONLY LOSS
IN JIM JEFFRIES' CAREER.

Man as London: "ONCE AGAIN HAS
JOHNSON SENT DOWN TO DEFEAT

"THE CHOSEN REPRESENTATIVE
OF THE WHITE RACE,

"AND THIS TIME,
THE GREATEST OF THEM ALL.

"AND, AS OF OLD,
IT WAS PLAY FOR JOHNSON.

"THE FEROCITY OF
THE HAIRY-CHESTED CAVE MAN

"AND GRIZZLY GIANT COMBINED

"DID NOT INTIMIDATE
THE COOL-HEADED NEGRO.

HE HAS NOT THE YELLOW STREAK."

JACK LONDON.

Man: "JULY 5, 1910.

"A WORD TO THE BLACK MAN:

DO NOT POINT YOUR NOSE
TOO HIGH."

"DO NOT SWELL YOUR CHEST
TOO MUCH.

"DO NOT BOAST
TOO LOUDLY.

"DO NOT BE PUFFED UP.

"LET NOT YOUR AMBITION
BE INORDINATE

"OR TAKE A WRONG DIRECTION.

"REMEMBER, YOU HAVE DONE
NOTHING AT ALL.

YOU ARE JUST THE SAME MEMBER
OF SOCIETY YOU WERE LAST WEEK."

"YOU ARE ON NO HIGHER PLANE,

DESERVE NO NEW CONSIDERATION,
AND WILL GET NONE."

"NO MAN WILL THINK
A BIT HIGHER OF YOU

"BECAUSE YOUR COMPLEXION
IS THE SAME AS THAT

OF THE VICTOR AT RENO."

"LOS ANGELES TIMES."

Narrator: AFTER THE FIGHT,
JOHNSON, ETTA,

AND THE REST OF
THE CHAMPION'S PARTY

BOARDED A PRIVATE RAILROAD CAR

ATTACHED TO THE OVERLAND LIMITED
BOUND FOR CHICAGO.

HE WAS CARRYING HIS WINNINGS,
MORE THAN $65,000 IN CASH.

BUT AS THEIR TRAIN MOVED
ACROSS THE COUNTRY

AND THE CHAMPAGNE FLOWED,

WORD BEGAN TO REACH THEM
OF TROUBLE ALMOST EVERYWHERE.

Man: "JULY 5, 1910.

"RIOTING BROKE OUT
LIKE PRICKLY HEAT

"ALL OVER THE COUNTRY
LAST NIGHT

"BETWEEN WHITES, SORE AND ANGRY

"THAT JEFFRIES HAD LOST
THE BIG FIGHT AT RENO,

AND NEGROES, JUBILANT
THAT JOHNSON HAD WON."

Crouch: THE COUNTRY WENT INTO
A KIND OF CONVULSION.

BLACKS CELEBRATED THE FIGHT,
WHICH WAS HARDLY SURPRISING.

WHITES RESPONDED WITH VIOLENCE.

Roberts: THERE HAVE BEEN
TWO MAJOR EVENTS

THAT HAVE PRECIPITATED
WIDESPREAD RACIAL RIOTING.

ONE WAS THE ASSASSINATION
OF MARTIN LUTHER KING

AND THE OTHER WAS JACK JOHNSON'S
VICTORY OVER JIM JEFFRIES

ON JULY 4, 1910.

THERE WERE RACE RIOTS
THROUGHOUT AMERICA.

AMERICANS, AND OVERWHELMINGLY
BLACK AMERICANS,

DIED IN THESE RACE RIOTS.

SO THIS IS--
THIS IS OPEN RACE WARFARE

THROUGHOUT EVERY SECTION
OF AMERICA.

Narrator:
THERE WERE CONFRONTATIONS

IN CHATTANOOGA, CHICAGO,
AND COLUMBUS,

IN LOS ANGELES AND NORFOLK,

PUEBLO AND PHILADELPHIA,

IN ROANOKE AND WASHINGTON, D.C.

ON CANAL STREET
IN NEW ORLEANS,

A 10-YEAR-OLD PAPERBOY
NAMED LOUIS ARMSTRONG

WAS TOLD TO RUN FOR HIS LIFE.

"JACK JOHNSON
HAS KNOCKED OUT JIM JEFFRIES,"

ONE OF HIS FRIENDS SHOUTED.

"THE WHITE BOYS
ARE SORE ABOUT IT,

AND THEY'RE GONNA
TAKE IT OUT ON US."

ON A HOUSTON STREETCAR,

AN ENRAGED WHITE PASSENGER
SLIT A BLACK MAN'S THROAT

BECAUSE HE HAD CHEERED
FOR JACK JOHNSON.

WHITE RIFLEMEN OPEN FIRE
ON A BLACK CONSTRUCTION CAMP

NEAR UVALDA, GEORGIA,
KILLING 3 AND WOUNDING 5.

IN MANHATTAN'S
SAN JUAN HILL NEIGHBORHOOD,

A WHITE CROWD SET
A BLACK TENEMENT ON FIRE,

THEN TRIED TO BLOCK
THE DOORS AND WINDOWS

SO THAT NO ONE COULD GET OUT.

Man: "PHILADELPHIA.

"A CROWD OF WHITE MEN

"WERE CHASING A FRIGHTENED NEGRO
IN CHESTNUT STREET

"WHEN ANOTHER NEGRO,

"WHO WAS APPROACHING
FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION,

"WAS KNOCKED DOWN
BY SOMEONE IN THE CROWD.

HE AROSE DAZED
AND WITH A BROKEN NOSE."

Woman: "ST. LOUIS.

"NEGROES FILLED THE STREETS,

"PUSHING WHITES
FROM THE SIDEWALKS

"AND INSULTING
MEN AND WOMEN.

"SQUADS OF PATROLMEN
WERE HURRIED INTO THE DISTRICT.

THE NEGROES
WERE CLUBBED INTO ORDER."

Man: "SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA.

"L.E. ROBERTS OF THE IRON
MOUNTAIN RAILROAD IS DEAD;

"JOHN ANDERSON,
A NEGRO, IS DEAD;

"AN UNKNOWN NEGRO WOMAN
IS DYING,

"SHOT THROUGH THE HEAD;

"AND A RACE RIOT
IS IMMINENT.

THE AUTHORITIES SEEM TO HAVE
NO CONTROL OF THE SITUATION."

Narrator: NO ONE KNOWS FOR SURE
HOW MANY AMERICANS DIED.

SCORES WERE WOUNDED--
WHITE AND BLACK.

THE VIOLENCE SPARKED
BY JOHNSON'S VICTORY

ENCOURAGED THE MOVEMENT

TO ABOLISH PROFESSIONAL
BOXING COMPLETELY,

AND A BILL WAS
INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS

TO BAN ALL FIGHT FILMS.

Man: "WHAT FOLLY.

"THERE ARE SEPARATE
MOVING-PICTURE THEATERS

"AMONG THE WHITES AND THE BLACKS
IN THIS COUNTRY.

"LET THE PICTURES BE SHOWN.

"IF THE WHITES GET MAD WITH
THEMSELVES AND FIGHT THEMSELVES,

"THEY ARE TO BLAME.

"THE BLACKS, ON THE OTHER HAND,

WILL SHOUT AMONGST
THEMSELVES ONLY."

"THE WASHINGTON BEE."

Narrator:
BUT NEITHER THE RIOTS

NOR THE QUARREL
OVER THE FIGHT FILMS

COULD DIMINISH
JACK JOHNSON'S TRIUMPH

IN THE EYES OF MILLIONS
OF AFRICAN-AMERICANS.

Man: "IT WAS A GOOD DEAL BETTER
FOR JOHNSON TO WIN

"AND A FEW NEGROES
BE KILLED IN BODY FOR IT

"THAN FOR JOHNSON TO HAVE LOST

"AND NEGROES TO HAVE
BEEN KILLED IN SPIRIT

"BY THE PREACHMENTS
OF INFERIORITY

FROM THE COMBINED
WHITE PRESS."

"IT IS BETTER FOR US
TO SUCCEED, THOUGH SOME DIE,

THAN FOR US TO FAIL,
THOUGH ALL LIVE."

"THE FACT OF THE FIGHT WILL
OUTDO A MOUNTAIN PEAK OF THEORY

"ABOUT THE NEGRO
AS A PHYSICAL MAN

AND AS A MAN OF
SELF-CONTROL AND COURAGE."

PROFESSOR WILLIAM PICKENS,

TALLADEGA COLLEGE,
TALLADEGA, ALABAMA.

Narrator: ON JULY 7,
THOUSANDS OF BLACK CHICAGOANS

GREETED JOHNSON AND HIS PARTY
AT THE RAILROAD STATION

AND ESCORTED THEM TO THE HOME
HE HAD BOUGHT FOR HIS MOTHER.

Man: "JACK JOHNSON CAME TO TOWN
WITH THE BLARE OF TRUMPETS.

"HIS PATHWAY
WAS STREWN WITH FLOWERS.

"RICH AND POOR ALIKE
LOST DISTINCTION

IN THE CRUSHING THRONG
TO SEIZE HIS HAND."

"THE FREEDMAN."

Narrator: JOHNSON REVELED IN
ALL THE ATTENTION,

BUT LIFE HAD TAUGHT HIM
TO BE WARY.

"I ONLY HOPE
THE COLORED PEOPLE OF THE WORLD

WILL NOT BE LIKE THE FRENCH,"
HE TOLD THE CROWD.

"HISTORY TELLS US

"THAT WHEN NAPOLEON WAS WINNING
ALL HIS VICTORIES,

"THE FRENCH WERE WITH HIM,

"BUT WHEN HE LOST,
THE PEOPLE TURNED AGAINST HIM.

"WHEN JACK JOHNSON MEETS DEFEAT,

"I WANT THE COLORED PEOPLE
TO LIKE AND LOVE ME

THE SAME AS WHEN
I WAS THE CHAMPION."

THAT NIGHT,
A WHITE MAN WITH A RIFLE

TRIED TO BREAK INTO
JOHNSON'S HOME.

HE INTENDED TO KILL
THE CHAMPION.

THE POLICE STOPPED HIM.

BUT JACK JOHNSON'S TROUBLES
WERE JUST BEGINNING.