Underwood & Underwood photograph of Johnson inscribed "Jack is to defend his crown of worlds heavyweight championship in a bout with James "Tut" Jackson on July 4, 1922 at Washington Courthouse, Ohio. John Arthur "Jack" Johnson (March 31, 1878 - June 10,
Underwood & Underwood photograph of Johnson inscribed "Jack is to defend his crown of worlds heavyweight championship in a bout with James "Tut" Jackson on July 4, 1922 at Washington Courthouse, Ohio. John Arthur "Jack" Johnson (March 31, 1878 - June 10, 1946), nicknamed the Galveston Giant, was an American boxer, who - at the height of the Jim Crow era - became the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion (1908-1915). He had a unique fighting style, which was not customary to boxing during this time. He would fight defensively, waiting for his opponents to tire out, while he would become more aggressive as the rounds went on. He would continuously dodge their punches, and quickly strike back with a blow of his own. He often made his fights look effortless, but when pushed he could also display some powerful moves, and punches. He was an early example of the celebrity athlete in the modern era, appearing regularly in the press and later on radio and in motion pictures. He earned considerable sums endorsing various products, including patent medicines, and indulged several expensive hobbies such as automobile racing and tailored clothing, as well as purchasing jewelry and furs for his wives. On June 10, 1946, he died in a car crash on Highway 1, after racing angrily from a diner that refused to serve him. He was 68 years old at the time of his death. During his boxing career, Jack Johnson fought 114 fights, winning 80 matches, 45 by knockouts. He was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 1954, and is on the roster of both the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the World Boxing Hall of Fame.
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