Parable of July 4, 1910
By Marvin X
![Trump should pardon boxing great Jack Johnson, who was railroaded by racism]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
"If President Donald Trump pardons Jack Johnson, the first North American African Heavyweight boxing champion, who, upon winning caused one of the worse race riots in American history; for whom the US government created a law specifically for him, the result of his utter arrogance and transcendence of America's white supremacy social norms, known as the Mann Act, which we call the Black Man Act; if Donald Trump honors Jack Johnson which President Obama declined to do during his neo-colonial/globalist regime, we will give President Trump Brownie Points for transcending his pervasive and problematic White Nationalism as America proceeds toward its last hurrah of white supremacy and the international snake called globalism that is vile and cunning and transcends white supremacy for the highest stage of multi-cultural domination that is beyond racism in all its vicissitudes and interlocking directorates."
--Marvin X
4/22/18
Marvin X Parable of July 4, 1910
As Oakland braces for a possible riot in response to the verdict in the Oscar Grant murder trial, let us recall another date in American history that shall live in infamy, July 4, 1910. On this day a century ago, Jack Johnson whupped a white man's ass to become the first black heavyweight champion of the world. What followed his victory was one of the bloodiest days in American history as whites attacked blacks in mob fashion and killed them in vengeance, jealousy, and envy.
Jack Johnson was a big, black, bold, arrogant, uppity North American African who terrified racist whites with his bravado. Unashamedly, he paraded through the streets in his expensive cars full of white women. The USA created a law just for him, the Mann Act or White Slavery, to prevent persons from crossing state lines allegedly for prostitution. Jack left the country but eventually returned to face prison time for his "crimes." There is presently a petition before President Obama to exonerate Jack Johnson posthumously.
More than his athletic prowess, Jack Johnson symbolized the liberation of black manhood, for he let it be known he was indeed free to do what he pleased by any means necessary. In short, he was fearless. We would not see such fearlessness until Black Panther Huey Newton drew his pump shotgun on a pig in San Francisco. In that moment, the black man retrieved his nuts from the sand. But today in Oakland we seem to have retreated and the enemy has advanced. We have a black mayor and police chief, yet blacks are being crucified by the police. It is as though the Black Panthers were never here. Is this due to a collective amnesia, a political anorexia? There is most definitely a paralysis in collective action.
Where is the boldness of Jack Johnson, Huey Newton? This July 4th weekend, where is the liberation message of Frederick Douglas? Douglas questioned the entire foundation of July 4, 1776.
Jack Johnson was a big, black, bold, arrogant, uppity North American African who terrified racist whites with his bravado. Unashamedly, he paraded through the streets in his expensive cars full of white women. The USA created a law just for him, the Mann Act or White Slavery, to prevent persons from crossing state lines allegedly for prostitution. Jack left the country but eventually returned to face prison time for his "crimes." There is presently a petition before President Obama to exonerate Jack Johnson posthumously.
More than his athletic prowess, Jack Johnson symbolized the liberation of black manhood, for he let it be known he was indeed free to do what he pleased by any means necessary. In short, he was fearless. We would not see such fearlessness until Black Panther Huey Newton drew his pump shotgun on a pig in San Francisco. In that moment, the black man retrieved his nuts from the sand. But today in Oakland we seem to have retreated and the enemy has advanced. We have a black mayor and police chief, yet blacks are being crucified by the police. It is as though the Black Panthers were never here. Is this due to a collective amnesia, a political anorexia? There is most definitely a paralysis in collective action.
Where is the boldness of Jack Johnson, Huey Newton? This July 4th weekend, where is the liberation message of Frederick Douglas? Douglas questioned the entire foundation of July 4, 1776.
Where were you, July 4, 1776 in the celebration on the plantation where were you, July 4, 1776.... —mx |
What is the Declaration of Independence to a slave, or for that matter, to a descendant of slaves in 2010? Indeed, we have made great strides, we have a black President, but he seems to get cut down at every turn, much like Jack Johnson. And in the end, he may be crucified, much like Jack Johnson, or for that matter, Oscar Grant. His generals mock him and Tea Party trailer house trash whites want to lynch him.
Here in Oakland, the consensus was that the judge in the Oscar Grant murder trial would not release the verdict until after the 4th of July weekend for fear of racial disturbances since anger, money, alcohol, and guns might be a potent mix in the hood during the holiday weekend. In fact, the jury did not go into deliberation until late Friday.
Perhaps we need to ponder the meaning of July 4th this weekend, for the coming week may portend ominous events here in Oakland, the very meaning of justice may be ridiculed from the courthouse itself. The judge and jury may very well slam dunk justice in the face of the righteous. Just know for every action there is a corresponding and equal reaction. It may not be immediate, but it is sure to come.
Here in Oakland, the consensus was that the judge in the Oscar Grant murder trial would not release the verdict until after the 4th of July weekend for fear of racial disturbances since anger, money, alcohol, and guns might be a potent mix in the hood during the holiday weekend. In fact, the jury did not go into deliberation until late Friday.
Perhaps we need to ponder the meaning of July 4th this weekend, for the coming week may portend ominous events here in Oakland, the very meaning of justice may be ridiculed from the courthouse itself. The judge and jury may very well slam dunk justice in the face of the righteous. Just know for every action there is a corresponding and equal reaction. It may not be immediate, but it is sure to come.
3 July 2010
* * * * *
Trump should pardon boxing great Jack Johnson, who was railroaded by racism
During Black History Month, we typically honor the accomplishments of black Americans from all walks of life. This year, President Trump could use this as an opportunity to right a historical wrong as well.
He should pardon Jack Johnson, the world’s first black heavyweight champion.
Born on March 31, 1878, in Galveston, Texas, the once-frail child would become a boxing legend. He earned the Texas State Middleweight title in his first pro fight, and held the World Colored Heavyweight Championship from 1903-1908.
Boxing promoters searched for a “Great White Hope” to beat Johnson. The list included former world heavyweight champion James J. Jeffries and former world middleweight champion Stanley Ketchel. (He also had a 10-round draw against Jim Johnson in the first world heavyweight title fight between two black boxers.)
Jess Willard finally ended Johnson’s reign on April 5, 1915, in Havana, Cuba, with a knockout in the 26th round. Johnson initially claimed he threw this fight, aided by an infamous photo of him seemingly shading his eyes on the mat after being knocked down.
Yet there was another reason Johnson’s original story seemed plausible. And it had nothing to do with boxing.
Most of Johnson’s relationships were with white women. While this fact seems rather trivial today, it was a huge taboo at the time. Moreover, these relationships were often in the public eye, and many white Americans thought he was flaunting his white conquests the way he flaunted his wealth.
Novelist Jack London, according to NPR, wrote to a retired white boxing champ, urging him to come back and “remove that golden smile from Jack Johnson’s face . . . it’s up to you. The White Man must be rescued.”
In October 1912, Johnson was arrested for his relationship with Lucie Cameron, an alleged prostitute who later became his wife. He was arrested on the same charge involving another alleged prostitute, Belle Schreiber, about a month later.
These two unions had supposedly broken the Mann Act, a federal law that made it a felony to “knowingly transport or cause to be transported, or aid or assist in obtaining transportation for, or in transporting, in interstate or foreign commerce, or in any Territory or in the District of Columbia, any woman or girl for the purpose of prostitution or debauchery.”
Though both relationships had occurred before the Mann Act was enacted in 1910, an all-white jury still found him guilty in June 1913. Johnson was sentenced to a year and a day in prison. He skipped bail with Cameron, went to Montreal, and traveled to Europe, South America and Mexico for several years.
So when he lost to Willard in 1915, some people felt it was a discreet way of dropping the title in the hopes of avoiding jail time. As film coverage became widely available, however, he was forced to acknowledge that he didn’t throw the fight after all, saying, “Willard was too much for me, I just didn’t have it.”
Johnson finally returned to the US in July 1920 and surrendered to authorities. After serving out his sentence, he boxed for a few more years and died in a car crash on June 10, 1946. His criminal record still hasn’t been cleared.
Supporters mounted campaigns during the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations to get Johnson a presidential pardon. But even with the support of Sen. John McCain, filmmaker Ken Burns, former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson and others, they failed.
Now, Johnson’s great-great-niece, Linda E. Haywood, is trying to clear his name — and she’s hoping Trump will be the one to do it.
Indeed, he should. It’s the right thing to do — and it would take an important step toward healing America’s racial divide.
Trump should grant Johnson a presidential pardon. There’s no better time to do it than during Black History Month.
Michael Taube, a columnist and political commentator, was a speechwriter for former Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.