U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Harry Reid (D-NV) today reintroduced a resolution urging President Obama to posthumously pardon John Arthur "Jack" Johnson, the first African-American heavyweight boxing champion, for his unjust conviction under the Mann Act in 1913, a law that prohibited transporting women across state lines for "immoral purposes." Text of the resolution is attached.
"Jack Johnson is a boxing legend and pioneer whose reputation was wrongly tarnished by a racially-motivated conviction more than a century ago," said Senator McCain. "Despite this resolution passing both chambers of Congress several times in recent years, no pardon has been issued to date. I am proud to join Senator Reid once again to urge President Obama to issue a posthumous pardon for Jack Johnson, which mark a significant step toward righting this historical wrong and restoring this great athlete's legacy."
"Jack Johnson was the greatest athlete of his time and a barrier-breaking boxer," said Senator Reid. "Johnson was a true champion whose name was tarnished by an unjust and racially motivated criminal conviction. Now is the time to restore his legacy. Jack Johnson deserves to be remembered for his incredible career, not for the racism that unfairly sent him to prison. I am glad to work with my friend Senator McCain to pardon Johnson, right a historical wrong and repair the legacy of this great man."
Jack Johnson was born in Galveston, Texas on March 31, 1878 and in 1908, he became the first African-American World Heavyweight Boxing Champion after defeating Tommy Burns in Australia -- a title Johnson held until 1915. Prompted by his success in the boxing ring and his relationship with a Caucasian woman, Jack Johnson was wrongly convicted under the Mann Act when he brought the woman he was dating across state lines. The intent of the Mann Act was to prevent human trafficking of women for the purpose of prostitution. However, a racially motivated 1913 conviction imprisoned Jack Johnson for a year. The conviction ruined his career and destroyed his reputation.
Congressman Peter King (R-NY) introduced the companion legislation in the House this month (H. CON. RES. 14). Senator McCain and Congressman King, both life-long boxing fans, have been introducing legislation to pardon Jack Johnson since 2004. The same Resolution passed the Senate unanimously in the 113th Congress, and cleared both the House and the Senate with unanimous support in the 111th Congress.