Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson (2004) by Geoffrey C. Ward is a powerful biography of Jack Johnson, the first Black heavyweight boxing champion of the world. Based on meticulous research, the book explores Johnson’s rise from poverty in Galveston, Texas, to global fame, and the racial backlash he faced for defying Jim Crow norms both inside and outside the ring. Charismatic and controversial, Johnson lived boldly—challenging white supremacy, dating white women, and refusing to conform. His 1910 victory over James Jeffries ignited nationwide race riots, and his later conviction under the Mann Act was widely seen as racially motivated. Ward’s biography, which inspired a Ken Burns documentary, captures Johnson's complex legacy as both a sports legend and a symbol of resistance.
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