Trump Posthumously Pardons First Black US Heavyweight Boxing Champion Jack Johnson
Donald Trump has posthumously pardoned the late heavyweight boxer, Jack Johnson.
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On Thursday, Trump issued the pardon in the Oval Office alongside Sylvester Stallone, current heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder, and Johnson's great-great niece Linda Bell Haywood, among others. Trump was encouraged to make the pardon by Stallone.
"Today I've issued an executive grant of clemency, a full pardon, posthumously, to John Arthur 'Jack' Johnson ... The first African-American heavyweight champion of the world, a truly great fighter. Had a tough life," Trump said according to CNN.
"We have done something today that was very important because we righted a wrong," Trump continued. "Jack Johnson was not treated fairly, and we have corrected that, and I'm very honored to have done it."
The first black world heavyweight boxing champion, Johnson was convicted in 1913 under the Mann Act for taking his white girlfriend across state lines for "immoral" purposes. The Mann Act was enacted to prevent human trafficking for the purpose of prostitution but a number of critics argue that it was used to criminalize black people and those with dissenting political views.
Even though the Mann Act was passed after the incidents used to convict him took place, Johnson was convicted by an all-white jury in less than two hours and was imprisoned for a year.
Johnson was a part of the legendary "Fight of the Century" in 1910, where he fought against former undefeated heavyweight champion James J. Jeffries, who came out of retirement just to fight Johnson. Jeffries, a white man, ended up losing to Johnson, which incited race riots across the United States.
Trump first said that he was considering a pardon for Johnson last month.
"Sylvester Stallone called me with the story of heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson. His trials and tribulations were great, his life complex and controversial," Trump tweeted. "Others have looked at this over the years, most thought it would be done, but yes, I am considering a Full Pardon!"
Source: CNN