^ J J o r tln n b CObseruer
luly 21. 2004
PageA5
Pardon Sought for Boxer Imprisoned by Racism
Jack Johnson was
first heavyweight
champion
(AP) — Researching a documen­
tary on Jack Johnson, filmmaker Ken
Bums decided that racism, not justice,
sent the first black heavyweight box­
ing champion to jail nearly a century
ago.
Bums decided to seek a presiden­
tial pardon to right the wrong. Last
week, civil rights leaders and Sens.
John McCain and Orrin Hatch joined
Bums to announce the filing of legal Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns talks about his next film, ‘Unforgivable
Blackness: The Rise and Fall o f Jack Johnson’ - the story o f a boxer wrongly
papers with the Justice Department
imprisoned for a relationship with a white woman. (AP photo)
seeking the pardon.
The petition argues that Johnson’s America’s resolve to live up to its came the first black army officer.
1913 conviction under the Mann Act, noble ideals of justice and equality.”
Johnson became the first black
a law passed three years earlier than
Hatch, R-Utah, said: “This man was champion when he stopped Tommy
bans the interstate transport of women flamboyant. But there was a reason Bums in Australia in 1908. Two years
for immoral purposes, unfairly pun­ for the flamboyancy: he was taking on later, he defeated challenger Jim
ished him for a consensual relation­ the world and fighting to give African- Jeffries, who had come out o f retire­
ship with a white woman.
Americans a chance.”
ment as the “Great White Hope” to
“A gross and grave injustice was
Johnson died in a traffic accident in beat the black man.
done to Jack Johnson where a law 1946 at age 68. If granted, the pardon
Johnson’s victory, in an era when
was perverted to send this decent would be only the second awarded Jim Crow laws and segregation ruled,
American to jail,” said McCain, R- posthumously. The first was Presi­ sparked race riots in parts o f the coun­
Ariz. “Pardoning Jack Johnson will dent Clinton’s 1999 pardon of Henry try. But it was not just the champion­
serve as a historic testam ent o f O. Flipper, a former slave who be­ ship that made many white Ameri­
Dear Deanna!
Real P eo p le, R eal Advice
t» advice column kuoyea for
its fearless approach lo reality
based subjects!
My husband of 15 years had a mid­
life crisis and decided to find a 20-
year old mistress when he was age
40 and got herpregnant. This woman
took me through many changes like
calling on the phone with explicit
details o f the affair. Now he has to
pay a huge chunk o f child support
and has asked for my forgiveness.
Considering all she put me through,
I find it hard to deal with this out­
side child syndrome because I’m
reaping from his sins. How can I
deal with this? --Barely Hanging
On; Tampa, Fla.
Dear Barely Hanging On
Deal with this by avoiding the
gold digging child w ho’s trying
cans hate him.
In a 1983 biography of Johnson,
Randy Roberts wrote that the boxer
was proud of his conquests among
white women. Prosecutors moved
against him in 1912 by arresting
Johnson on the charge o f abducting
Lucille Cameron.
Johnson was indicted, but the gov­
ernment lost Cameron as a witness
when she became the second white
was invoked to invade the privacy of
consenting adults.
The district attorney at the time,
Harry Parkin, called the conviction
"the foremost example of the evil in
permitting the intermarriage o f whites
and blacks,” which Bum s’ petition
said revealed the extreme prejudice at
the time.
McCain and Hatch said they plan to
ask other senators to join in a resolu­
' Johnson’s victory, in an era when Jim
Crow laws and segregation ruled, sparked
race riots in parts of the country. But it
was not just the championship that made
many white Americans hate him.
%
woman to marry Johnson; a wife can­
not be forced to testify against her
husband. The prosecution came up
with a witness. Belle Schreiber, also
white and a former mistress. Her
testimony led to Johnson’s conviction,
and he served a 10-month sentence.
The petition fi led Tuesday contends
the conviction was legally unfounded,
the first trial in which the Mann Act
to bring you dow n. T w o w rongs ev eryb o d y and you sh o u ld ’ve
d o n ’t m ake a right and you should been m ore supportive o f her d e­
tune out the b a b y ’s im m ature cision. T h ere’s nothing w rong
m other and let G od lead you whi le w ith th e life sty le she ch o se.
su p p o rtin g y o u r h u sb an d and —Kim M cConnell; Bronx, N.Y.
heal your m arriage. Yes, your
Dear Kim:
husband w as ju st as w rong, but
T
elling this w om an she was co r­
the baby is innocent and d id n ’t
rect
in getting o ff the path o f
ask to com e here. Seek faith based
G
o
d
’s
plan w ould be the sam e as
co u n selin g and rep resen t your
wom anly strength by dem onstrat­ telling you to go play in traffic.
Sim ply insane. U n fortunately,
ing love and forgiveness.
people like you and others co n ­
Dear Deanna!
tinue to enjoy feel good honesty
In response to the w om an who w hich sim ply m eans a lie. A gain,
chose a non-traditional partner, I if a person selects an alternative
think y o u ’re either hom ophobic lifestyle and they c a n ’t handle
or d o n 't have com m on sense. You the pressure, ridicule, dram a and
ju d g ed her w hen you told her she taunting that com es w ith it, then
needs to select a man. G od loves they need to get back to basics
tion urging that Johnson be pardoned.
Other supporters include Sen. Ed­
ward Kennedy, D-Mass.; Rep. Jesse
Jackson Jr., D-Ill.; boxers Sugar Ray
Leonard and Vernon Forrest; and
actor Samuel L. Jackson.
Bum s’ documentary on Johnson,
titled “Unforgiveable Blackness: The
Rise and Fall o f Jack Johnson,” will air
on PBS in January.
and keep it m oving.
ues that will make your life better
when y o u ’re released. Stay posi­
Dear Deanna!
tive and encouraged and y o u 'll
I’m in prison and I read your co l­
be able to stay on the right path
umn every w eek. I’ve looked at
w hen you get back into society.
p eo p le’s lives and situations and
Besides, crim inals and inm ates
realize my life w asn’t that bad and
are still people and need love and
I m essed it up w ith stupidity and
support too.
crim e. I’m also glad to see you
d o n ’tjudge the inmates and crim i­ Ask Deanna is written by Deanna
nals that are locked up and help M. Write Ask Deanna! Email:
us as well. W hen I get out. I’m a sk d e a n n a l @yahoo.com
or
staying out o f trouble. —C hris; write: Deanna M, P.O. Box 88847,
Raleigh, N.C. prison
Los Angeles, CA 90009. Website:
Dear Chris:
www. askdeanna. com
A mind is a terrible thing to w aste
if idle and it’s good to see y o u ’re
reading w hile in prison. C ontinue
to receive w isdom from all ven ­
Now the savings are in the Card!
ALL LIMITS ARE PER
HOt'SEHOU) PERDA»