On April 6, Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa called on President Bush to pardon legendary boxer Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion of the world. Hoffa was joined by Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, President of the Joint Association of Boxers (JAB); three-time champion Iran Barkley; and Richard Steele, referee member of the World Boxing Hall of Fame.

The press conference was held on Capitol Hill with key lawmakers in attendance, including Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Rep. Peter King (R-NY) and Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL)

”Jack Johnson’s story is more than a story about a great athlete. He was the cultural icon of his day. He broke racial barriers in his fight for freedom and equality,” Hoffa said. “We are fighting to restore his proper place in our nation’s history.”

McCain praised Hoffa’s fight for Johnson’s pardon, and for his effort in helping JAB gain representation.

“I think Mr. Hoffa could do a lot of things that would be more financially beneficial to the union, but I think that he and I share the belief that boxers deserve a lot better than what they are getting from this sport.”

Hoffa noted the growing support for Johnson’s pardon that JAB and the Teamsters are receiving from professional boxers and members of Congress.

“We’ve got a number of House members in our corner so far, and we’re asking the president to stand in our corner too,” Hoffa said. “Support for our campaign is growing every day as the best and brightest in boxing step into the ring to fight for justice.”

Johnson earned the respect of fighters and fans alike for his courage and determination both inside and outside the ring.

“Jack Johnson was a great boxer and deserves the utmost respect,” Muhammad said. “This effort to get him a pardon is all about getting him that respect, even after all these years. It’s time for justice.”

During the height of Johnson’s career, he was convicted under the Mann Act in 1913 for transporting a white woman, his then fiancée and future wife, across state lines. Although the arbitrary nature of his conviction is well documented in history, it has served to push his legacy to near obscurity.

"It is a travesty of justice—it was a sham conviction,” King said. “It is a blot on our country's history."

 

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