I AM THE FORCE

THE COURAGE, STYLE, AND ATTITUDE OF JACK JOHNSON

About Jack Johnson: Early 20th century boxer, Jack Johnson, was one of the few black men in history that created white anxiety about black equality. He was unafraid, his actions in and out of the ring were bold, and with the black public in his corner, he achieved his greatest accomplishment. He challenged racial views about equality when he beat a white boxer and became the first black international heavyweight-boxing champion.

Jack Johnson Quotations:

I know the bitterness of being accused and being harassed by prosecutors. I know the horror of being hunted and haunted. I have dashed across continents and oceans as a fugitive and have matched my wits with the police and secret agents seeking to deprive me of one of the greatest blessings man can have--liberty.

I made a lot of mistakes out of the ring, but I never made any in it.

The possession of muscular strength and the courage to use it in contests with other men for physical supremacy does not necessarily imply a lack of appreciation for the finer and better things of life.

I never doubted the issue from the beginning. I knew I was too good for Burns. I have forgotten more about fighting than Burns ever knew.

For every point I'm given, I'll have earned two, because I'm a Negro.