Jack Johnson (Boxer)

He was often romantically involved with white women, a subject which created much controversy during his times. He married thrice and all of his wives were white.

His first marriage was to Etta Duryea in 1911. The marriage was troubled from the very beginning. He physically abused his wife who later committed suicide in 1912.

He married Lucille Cameron in 1912. His second wife divorced him in 1924 because of his infidelity.

Johnson was born to former slaves Henry and Tina in Galveston, Texas. His parents worked hard to raise their large family consisting of several children.

Due to family circumstances the young Jack had to drop out of school at an early age to work as a dock boy and support his family.

He began boxing locally as a teenager.

He started fighting professionally in 1898 at the age of 20 and won the Texas State Middleweight Title defeating Charley Brooks.

He got his first big opportunity in 1899 when he fought against the African-American heavyweight John Haines who fought under the name of ‘Klondike’. Johnson lost the fight on a technical knock-out in the fifth round.

He fought experienced boxer Joe Choynski in 1901 and lost out to him in the third round. Since their fight was considered illegal at that time, both the boxers were arrested and imprisoned. During their time together in jail, Choynski became Johnson’s mentor and taught him many boxing skills.

In 1903, he won his first title--the World Colored Heavyweight Championship—by beating Denver Ed Martin in a 20-round match. He defended this title 17 times and held it till 1908.

With his eyes now on the World Heavyweight Championship, he challenged the reigning champion James Jeffries. Jeffries, a white boxer, however, refused to fight with a black man.

He created history by beating Tommy Burns in Australia in 1908 to become the world’s first black heavyweight champion.

He beat the former undefeated world champion James Jeffries in what was dubbed the ‘Fight of the Century’ in 1910.