Jack Johnson, who became our nation's first black heavyweight champion in 1908, was convicted of violating the Mann Act in 1913 because of a romantic relationship with a white woman. He was incarcerated at the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas for nearly a year because of this.
Both chambers of Congress have repeatedly passed resolutions in 2009 and 2011 calling for the White House to posthumously pardon Mr. Johnson. Yet nearly a century after his conviction, Mr. Johnson has not yet been cleared of these repugnant charges.
We call upon the President to acknowledge these bipartisan Congressional resolutions. The White House should direct the Justice Department to recognize posthumous pardons and should swiftly grant such a pardon to Jack Johnson.