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Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Jack Johnson, Black Men and "The Scott Sisters"

Check this out, as reported by Gromer Jeffers, Jr., at the Dallas Morning News there is a movement to get Jack Johnson, the first African-American to become world heavyweight boxing champion name cleared. You see Jack Johnson overcame racism and poverty to slug his way to the top. As reported by Gromer jeffers, Jr., efforts to clear his name of a bogus conviction for transporting a white woman across state lines for immoral purposes, however, have not been as successful.

FILE/Providence Journal

Today is the 131st anniversary of Johnson's birth in Galveston, and it comes as renewed efforts are under way in Congress to get a presidential pardon for the boxer who died 62 years ago.

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., plan to introduce resolutions before Congress on Wednesday calling on President Barack Obama to pardon Johnson.

A pardon, supporters say, would right a wrong from America's racist past. But for many others, particularly in Galveston, vindication for Johnson means much more.

They hope to reintroduce the man nicknamed the Galveston Giant to a hometown that shunned him in his finest hour and never regarded the boxer as its favorite son. More HERE

AAPP: Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. should also introduce legislation to support criminal justice reform that address issues of reentry, sentencing, racial disparity and crime prevention. For black males in their twenties, 1 in every 8 is in prison. Let's see Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., The Congressional Black Caucus, The United States Congress and the President deal with many of these modern day bogus convictions as well.

Lets see them address the question of two black women who should also be receiving a review by State and federal officials: The Scott Sisters - Jamie and Gladys Scott.


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