Radio Rootz' This Day in History
|
Key 1
22,000 spectators gathered in Reno, Nevada to watch the former white heavyweight champion James Jeffries fight the Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight champion. The all-white crowd screamed derogatory remarks throughout the whole match while the ringside band played “all coons look alike to me.” Jeffries, who had publicly stated that he was only fighting to prove the superiority of whites, had to call in quits in the 15th round after being overpowered by Johnson. That night, in over 50 cities across America, small-scale race riots occurred as the black community celebrated and enraged white people retaliated. Certain states even banned the filming of Johnson’s victories over white fighters.
|
