On March 31, 1878, janitor Henry and Tiny Johnson welcomed their second child into the world:  Arthur John Johnson.   The Johnsons had left the plantation in favor of the more cosmopolitan city, living on the east end of Galveston in a small house at 8th and Broadway.  This city was particularly attractive to freedmen due to the strong African American dock union, the Cotton Jammers, lead by Norris Wright Cuney, the Chief Collector of Customs. 

When the 1900 Storm had washed away the family home, Johnson gave into his wanderlust dreams and left his beloved and deeply religious mother, Tiny.   At the age of 12, he quit school and set out to see the world -- or at least New York City.  He made his way there via Key West, FL, working odd jobs from fisherman to cook before returning to his hometown.   The then 13-year-old Arthur went to work at the Galveston port.   The only advice his father gave him was to "protect yourself" against the tough dock crowd, so fighting became a necessity for survival.  Frequent "Battle Royals" -- where black boys fought enmass for pennies -- provided the training.  "Li'l Arthur" soon proved himself by defeating the toughest man in town. 

Although prize fighting was illegal, "exhibition boxing matches" were held in the name of "sport."  In a match between Arthur Johnson and Joe Choynski in 1901 at Harmony Hall (some think the Galveston Athletic Club), Johnson knocked out the old fighter after three rounds.  There was little celebration, however, because both were arrested by the Texas Rangers and jailed for 24 days, in the same cell.  During that time, Choynski mentored the young man, teaching him how to taunt and wear down his opponents with speed and counter punches.  To his advantage, the 23-year-old had grown into a mountain of a man and a much better boxer.     

Declaring that Galveston had "no great charm for me,"  Johnson fought his way through Dallas, Chicago, Pittsburg and Colorado to the West Coast where he defeated Jack Jefferies, who was brother of the reigning World's Heavy Weight Champion, Jim who retired in 1904.   Then, Tommy Burns won the belt.  

As Dolph Tilotson noted, Johnson "was, for his era, a great fighter."  By 1906, "Li'l Arthur" had fought in 56 official matches, losing only 2.  He'd even won the light heavy weight championship.  Flaunting his success, he wore expensive, taylored suits and, in the ring, a silk robe.  He replaced his two front teeth with gleaming gold ones and led a flamboyant lifestyle that included fast sports cars and white women. 

Fewer white opponents would face him, including Burns whom the sports press chided.  In search of a chance at the title, "Lil Arthur" fought his way to England, where he assusmed the more cultivated persona of J. Arthur Johnson, complete with British accent.  When he finally reached Australia, he had gained a worldwide following that caught the attention of a fight promoter in 1908.  A match was set up a match with the current champ, Tommy Burns.   Jack Johnson jumped at the chance, even though he would only receive $5,000 of a $35,000 purse and Burns' manager would referee. 

That fight happened on December 26,1908 in Sydney.  Smiling down at his opponent with that wide "golden smile," Johnson taunted the smaller Burns about his inability to box, which enraged the champ.  Perhaps those taunts served as a self-fulfilling prophecy to them champ, because Johnson pulverized Burns.  The police finally had to stop the fight at the end of 14 rounds.  

His victory divided America along racial lines.  How dare a "little Galveston colored boy" defeat the world's champion white boxer?  As Johnson wrote in his autobiography, "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  . . . . and almost immediately a great hue and cry went up because a colored man was holding the championship."

Worst yet, the white sports press was enraged and began a campaign to coerce Jim Jefferies out of retirement.  Its main proponent was Jack London, the manly man novelist, who chided "Jeff" to "remove that golden smile from Jack Johnson's face . . . (for) the white man must be rescued."  Thus, the retired champ left his farm to become "The Great White Hope" and win the championship belt back from the black man. 

The match was set for July 4, 1910 in Reno, Nevada.  The 32-year old black man weighed a trim 208 pounds, in top physical condition, while his opponent was older and heavier.  Crowds of fans witnessed a great fight that day, with Johnson in total control, taunting Jefferies while he pounded him.  Many never forgave "the little Galveston colored boy" for being the best world heavy weight fighter in the world that day. 

Again, his victory divided America along racial lines, but this time the frustration erupted into natiowide violence.   With his $120,000 take, Johnson left the country with his third white wife.  A year later, they returned to Chicago, where he opened a caberet club.   He also bought his mother, Tiny, a house in the Windy City.  All appeared the American dream until 1913, when America extracted its revenge for his success.  

As Dolph Tilotson noted in a story that ran in the Galveston County Daily News in 2002, "What the white fighters could not do in the ring, the United States government set about doing with police and prosecutors."  Convicted of violating the Mann Act with an underage, white woman, Johnson served a year and a day in Levenworth; his beloved mother died during that time.  

Johnson chose exile for seven years but, by 1921, he felt he'd paid his dues to society and returned to America.  He lived on "bread and beer money" in seedy, side-show jobs, but declared his final years his happiest, married to irene Pinean, his fourth white wife. 

He died on June 10, 1946, returning from a lecture near Raleigh, NC, when his car hit a light pole and rolled over.  Seems his car's brake line had been cut . . . .

Efforts to secure a Presidential Pardon for Arthur "Jack" Johnson date as far back as August, 2004, when Senator John McCain said, "A gross and grave injustice was done to Jack Johnson where a low was perverted to send this decent American to jail.  Pardoning Johnson will serve as a historic testament of America's resolve to live up to its noble ideals."  Thank you, Dolph, for calling this to our attention. 

In addition to the News' story, I used notes from a lecture I attended on October 2, 2003, by Dr. Janet M. Davis, entitled "Jack Johnson and the Politics of Race and Place," as well as the boxer's biography on Answers.com, written by John LoDico.