How Jack Johnson Shaped the Future: A Legacy Timeline

A closer look at the lasting mark left by Jack Johnson—a timeline of influence.

Jack Johnson, nicknamed the "Galveston Giant", was an American boxer and the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion (1908–1915) during the Jim Crow era. His victory over James J. Jeffries in 1910, a fight dubbed the "fight of the century", triggered race riots across the U.S. Johnson was a prominent and controversial figure, considered by Ken Burns as "the most famous and the most notorious African American on Earth" for over a decade. He is remembered as one of boxing's most influential figures.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1914: Published "Mes combats"

In 1914, Johnson wrote "Mes combats", a memoir of his life.

October 1915: Mentioned in letters from WW1

In October 1915, Johnson's name was used to describe the impact of a shell during World War One, as mentioned in a letter from Rupert Edward Inglis.

1916: Mentioned in letters from WW1

In 1916, British troops in the trenches of World War One used Johnson's name to describe the impact of German 150 mm heavy artillery shells.

1927: Published "Jack Johnson in the Ring and Out"

In 1927, Johnson wrote "Jack Johnson in the Ring and Out", a memoir of his life.

1931: End of boxing career

In 1931 Jack Johnson finished his boxing career.

June 10, 1946: Jack Johnson's Death

On June 10, 1946, Jack Johnson, nicknamed the "Galveston Giant", passed away. He was the first black world heavyweight boxing champion (1908–1915).

1946: Death and burial at Graceland Cemetery

In 1946, Jack Johnson died and was buried at Graceland Cemetery in Chicago next to his first wife, Etta Duryea Johnson.

1954: Inducted into The Ring magazine's Boxing Hall of Fame

In 1954, Johnson was an inaugural inductee to The Ring magazine's Boxing Hall of Fame.

1969: Jaime Brockett reworked Lead Belly song

In 1969, American folk singer Jaime Brockett reworked the Lead Belly song into a satirical talking blues called "The Legend of the S.S. Titanic."

1970: Release of "Jack Johnson" film

In 1970, Jimmy Jacobs and Bill Cayton released the film "Jack Johnson", featuring restored archive footage of Johnson with his words voiced by Brock Peters and music by Miles Davis.

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1970: Film Adaptation of The Great White Hope

In 1970, the play The Great White Hope was adapted into a film, starring James Earl Jones as "Jack Jefferson" and Jane Alexander as his love interest.

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1971: Release of "Jack Johnson" album by Miles Davis

In 1971, Miles Davis released the album "Jack Johnson", which was the score for the film about Jack Johnson.

1976: Trevor Von Eeden published graphic novel about Jack Johnson

In 1976, Trevor Von Eeden, the first black artist ever hired by DC Comics, wrote and drew the graphic novel "The Original Johnson", detailing Jack Johnson's life from childhood up to his death.

1987: The Ring magazine's Boxing Hall of Fame disbanded

In 1987, The Ring magazine's Boxing Hall of Fame was disbanded.

1990: Inducted into International Boxing Hall of Fame

In 1990, Johnson was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

1997: Joe R. Lansdale's short story featuring Jack Johnson

In 1997, Joe R. Lansdale's short story "The Big Blow", which featured Jack Johnson fighting a white boxer, was published.

2000: Publication of novelized "The Big Blow"

In 2000, Joe R. Lansdale's short story "The Big Blow" was expanded into a novel.

2002: Named one of 100 Greatest African Americans

In 2002, scholar Molefi Kete Asante listed Jack Johnson on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans.

2004: Publication of "Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson"

In 2004, Geoffrey C. Ward's nonfiction book "Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson" was published, which served as the basis for the 2005 Ken Burns documentary.

2005: Ken Burns produced documentary about Jack Johnson

In 2005, Ken Burns produced a two-part documentary about Johnson's life, "Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson", based on the 2004 nonfiction book of the same name by Geoffrey C. Ward, and with music by Wynton Marsalis.

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2005: Addition of marker to Johnson's grave

In 2005, after filmmaker Ken Burns released a film about Johnson's life, an additional marker was added to Johnson's grave.

2005: Film of Johnson-Jeffries fight added to National Film Registry

In 2005, the United States National Film Preservation Board deemed the film of the 1910 Johnson-Jeffries fight "historically significant" and put it in the National Film Registry.

2005: Film Added to National Film Registry

In 2005, the film of the Jeffries–Johnson "Fight of the Century" was entered into the United States National Film Registry as being worthy of preservation.

2006: "Unforgivable Blackness" wins award

In 2006, Geoffrey C. Ward's book, "Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson" won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year award.

2008: Bill requesting pardon passed the House

In 2008, a bill which requested that President George W. Bush pardon Johnson passed the House, but failed to pass in the Senate.

April 2009: Request for a presidential pardon

In April 2009, Senator John McCain, along with Representative Peter King, film maker Ken Burns, and Johnson's great-niece, Linda Haywood, requested a presidential pardon for Johnson from President Barack Obama.

2012: Park dedicated in Johnson's memory

In 2012, the City of Galveston dedicated a park in Johnson's memory, called Jack Johnson Park, which includes a life-size bronze statue of Johnson.

2013: "The Big Smoke" nominated for National Book Award

In 2013, Adrian Matejka's book of poetry, "The Big Smoke", inspired by Jack Johnson's life, was a finalist for the National Book Award for Poetry.

December 2015: Mention in the Every Student Succeeds Act

In December 2015, Congress expressed in the Every Student Succeeds Act that Johnson should receive a posthumous pardon.

March 2016: Premiere of "The Royale"

In March 2016, "The Royale", a play by Marco Ramirez inspired by Jack Johnson, premiered at Lincoln Center Theater.

June 2016: Petition for pardon

In June 2016, another petition for Johnson's pardon was issued to President Obama, marking the 70th anniversary of his death.

April 2018: Trump considered a full pardon

In April 2018, President Donald Trump announced that he was considering granting a full pardon to Johnson on the advice of actor Sylvester Stallone.

May 24, 2018: Posthumous Presidential Pardon

On May 24, 2018, President Donald Trump granted Johnson a posthumous presidential pardon, 105 years after his conviction.

2018: Posthumous Pardon by President Trump

In 2018, Johnson was posthumously pardoned by U.S. President Donald Trump.

2021: Release of "Crossing the Color Line"

In 2021, the book "Crossing the Color Line: Stanley Ketchel's Challenge for Jack Johnson's Heavyweight Crown" by Vernon Gravely, detailing Johnson's fight with Stanley Ketchel, was released.

2023: Release of "Last On His Feet: Jack Johnson and the Battle of the Century" graphic novel

In 2023, the graphic novel "Last On His Feet: Jack Johnson and the Battle of the Century" by Adrian Matejka and Youssef Daoudi was released, chronicling the Johnson vs. Jeffries fight.