The effort to gain a presidential pardon for Jack Johnson took a major step this week with the support of Sen. John McCain R., Az). The conviction of Johnson for a 1913 Mann Act violation was a disgrace and it is time for the wrong to be righted.
Johnson was convicted for having a consensual relationship with a white woman — a scandal during the period. Johnson scared many whites and his success was viewed as a challenge to white supremacy. Indeed, in 1910, former heavyweight champion James J. Jeffries came out of retirement to fight Johnson, stating “I am going into this fight for the sole purpose of proving that a white man is better than a Negro” In 1910, former undefeated heavyweight champion James J. Jeffries came out of retirement and said “I am going into this fight for the sole purpose of proving that a white man is better than a Negro”. Johnson destroyed Jeffries who had been undefeated despite the fact that the band played “All coons look alike to me.”
Johnson lost the heavyweight title to Jess Willard in 1915.
In 1913, Johnson was convicted of violating the Mann Act with woman he would later marry. Johnson ultimately returned to the United States to serve his ten year sentence. 
For the latest story, click here.
Pardon Johnson, prosecute Spitzer?
Win win on the scales of entertainment
I can agree to a pardon of Jack Johnson, but let’s make sure Bush and Cheney aren’t somehow written into the pardon overnight.
Actually, it was a ten month sentence. Nonetheless, it was a classic example of a purely racist prosecution. A pardon is long overdue. I would not have expected Mr. Rove to recall any communications on this issue because it did not involve someone in any of the approved classes of potential pardon recipients: White House lawyers, Republican political contributors and DOJ employees.
from Texas picker-poet Michelle Shocked
The Titanic
Oh it was midnight on the sea
And a band played “Nearer my God to thee”
Fare thee Titanic, oh fare thee well
It was midnight on the sea
And a band played “Nearer my God to thee”
Fare thee Titanic, oh fare thee well
Jack Johnson went to get onboard
Now the captain said, “We don’t haul no coal”
Fare thee Titanic, oh fare thee well
And Jack Johnson went to get onboard
That captain said, “We don’t haul no coal”
Fare thee Titanic, oh fare thee well
Titanic went around a curve
And she run into a big iceberg
Fare thee Titanic, oh fare thee well
Titanic went around a curve
And she run into a big iceberg, didn’t see it
Fare thee Titanic, oh fare thee well
There were lifeboats all around
Save the woman and the children, let the men go down
Fare thee Titanic, oh fare thee well
There were lifeboats all around
Save the woman and the children, let the men go down
Fare thee Titanic, oh fare thee well
Jack Johnson, when he heard the news
He started shakin’ them blues
Fare thee Titanic, oh fare thee well
Jack Johnson, when he got the shock
Should of seen him dance the Eagle Rock
Fare thee Titanic, oh fare thee well
And it’s midnight on the sea
And a band played “Nearer my God to thee”
Fare thee Titanic, oh fare thee well
And it was midnight on the sea
And a band played “Nearer my God to thee”
Fare thee Titanic, oh fare thee well
And it’s fare thee Titanic, oh fare thee wel
http://www.michelleshocked.com/lyrics_the_titanic.htm
WOW!
Collin Powell on Rachael Maddow tonight pretty well blew all the torture accusations right back in her face!
Among other revelations, Powell indicated meetings he attended were 1) documented and 2) all in a format that ensured no violations of law occurred.
TOO BAD LEFTYS!
You could just see Rachael’s face drop and hear her cry out for (overweight) boy hero Jon Turley!
ping,
Powell was not too bright interpreting the data given him justifying the reasons for the Iraq war. Furthermore, Powell is not a legal expert.
FFLEO:
he flunked out of engineering school and became a 4 star general what do you expect?
LOL! Same old same old.
Slander a man (Collin Powell) who devoted his life to serving the country.
YOU SICK BASTARD LIBERALS have no shame.
PHUCK YOU ALL…..!!!!!
In light of Pardon Me’s contribution of Jack Johnson it literature: I recommend Lansdale’s novella “The Big Blow.”
Why is John McCain suddenly so interested in a Jack Johnson pardon?
A tip of my hat to two of the best to come out of Texas Jack Johnson and Michelle Shocked.
Sammy,
John McCain’s interest is not so sudden, in July 2004, he along with Senator Edward Kennedy and the (at that time) Attorney General of New York Elliot Spitzer (isn’t ironic) were among the original committee/signers of the petition to President Bush and the DOJ to seek a pardon.
The committee also included Ken Burns, the director of the film
“Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson”
and Geoffrey C. Ward, historian and author of the biography (same title) and screenplay on which the film was based. The petition, lots of good info, and the FBI files can be found at the PBS site.
http://www.pbs.org./unforgivableblackness/index.html
Pardon me,
Thank you for the link to Michelle’s site; it was worth another visit. Here she is on Letterman in 1993.
Buddha,
Where are you hanging out? Just for the record(curse my ego’s need for credit), it was me who first said: “Glad to see your greenness!” Although I am sure I am not the only one missing you lately. Here’s hoping you show up soon.
Do you think Chaka Khan’s cover of Joni Mitchell’s “Hejira” is in any way “frustafunkadelic?”
CEJ,
I’ve been busy with a family health emergency. All is stabilized now. It’s nice to know I was missed though. As far as “Hejira” goes, I’d have to say that’s more of a “smooth funk” – slick and hyper-produced. I think one of the qualities of “frustrafunkadelic” is the song must have at least one real drummer and a popping bass line, a little rawer feel. Submitted for your approval – Soul Coughing with “How Many Cans?” from Irresistible Bliss. I think this is very frustrafunkadelic.
Dear Buddha,
Please accept my sincere apology for taking so long to reply to your post.
I am glad things are stable now; and you are back to blogging. Even those few days without Buddha Laughing were too many!
As to Soul Coughing’s “How Many Cans” definitely very “frustrafunkadelic” indeed.
More than a tad tangental, here is Kate Bush’s “Them Heavy People”:
Leadbelly sang that song in 1948. Who wrote it? Not Michelle, love her to death all the same.
This quote from Wikipedia about Jack Johnson sounds like our President.
Johnson’s boxing style was very distinctive. He developed a more patient approach than was customary in that day: playing defensively, waiting for a mistake, and then capitalizing on it. Johnson always began a bout cautiously, slowly building up over the rounds into a more aggressive fighter. He often fought to punish his opponents rather than knock them out, endlessly avoiding their blows and striking with swift counters. He always gave the impression of having much more to offer and, if pushed, he could punch powerfully.