Up Next
Back to Show
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson
The Jim Crow Era
Jack Johnson became the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion in the height of the Jim Crow era — a time in which slavery was abolished, but African Americans were not yet truly free.
Support Provided By
Unlock with PBS Passport
1:42:12
See Jack Johnson's rise to the top of the boxing world and witness the country's reaction
Unlock with PBS Passport
1:51:00
Follow Jack Johnson's remarkable journey from his humble beginnings to entering the ring.