Jack London, Jack Johnson, and the Fight of the Century
6 days ago
- #racial-politics
- #boxing-history
- #jack-london
- Jack London's involvement in boxing journalism, particularly his coverage of the 1910 Jack Johnson vs. Jim Jeffries fight, highlights his complex and contradictory views on race.
- London's early boxing writings used racialized and animalistic language to describe fighters, regardless of their race, showcasing his fascination with the 'abysmal brute' concept.
- Despite initially rooting for white fighters like Jim Jeffries as the 'Great White Hope,' London ultimately praised Jack Johnson's skill and dominance in the ring.
- London's racial rhetoric evolved over time, with his later writings showing a more nuanced, albeit still problematic, approach to race and boxing.
- Jack Johnson's victory over Jeffries led to widespread racial violence and legal changes, including bans on fight films, reflecting the deep racial tensions of the era.
- London's legacy in boxing journalism is intertwined with the racial dynamics of the sport, influencing later writers like Hemingway and Mailer.
- Johnson's life and career were marked by racial discrimination, including legal persecution and exile, yet he remains one of the greatest heavyweight champions in history.
- London's contradictory views on race—sometimes racist, sometimes progressive—reflect the broader societal struggles with race during his time.
- The concept of the 'Great White Hope' persisted in boxing long after Johnson's era, resurfacing in matches involving Black champions like Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes.
- London's boxing writings, though often overshadowed by his fiction, played a significant role in shaping the literary and cultural discourse around the sport.