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Boxing Retrospective - Jack Johnson vs. James Jeffries...
Boxing Retrospective - Jack Johnson vs. James Jeffries...
Item # 724714
July 08, 1990
LOS ANGELES TIMES, July 8, 1990 The front page of the Sports Section has: "80 Years Ago, the Truth Hurt", with subhead: "Johnson's Victory Over Jeffries Taught Lesson to White America", followed by an extensive retrospective on their infamous boxing match which took place on July 4, 1910. The article continues on page C12 and includes corresponding photos on both the front of the Sports section and on C12. Although not shown in the photos, the front section is also present.
Other news of the day is found throughout.
Offered are the Sports and Front sections, in very good condition.
Background: The 1910 "Fight of the Century" between Jack Johnson and James J. Jeffries remains a watershed moment in American racial and sporting history. On July 4, Johnson, the first Black heavyweight champion, defended his title against Jeffries, a former undefeated champion lured out of a six-year retirement to serve as the "Great White Hope." Staged in Reno, Nevada, the bout was fueled by intense Jim Crow-era racial tension and a desperate desire by the white establishment to reclaim the championship. Johnson dominated the fight with superior skill and psychological taunts, eventually knocking Jeffries down for the first time in his career and forcing a 15th-round stoppage. Johnson’s victory triggered nationwide race riots and led to the federal banning of boxing films to suppress the image of Black triumph. Ultimately, the match transcended sport, exposing the fragility of white supremacy and cementing Johnson’s legacy as a defiant cultural icon.
Category: The 20th Century
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