Jack Johnson

Both the House and the Senate of the United States of America have passed a measure to pardon the late great Jack Johnson, the greatest heavy weight champion the world has ever known. At the height of his career, he was charged with an offense against the Mann Act even before the Mann Act came into being. This was done because of the Jim Crowe Laws and rank discrimination that went on in the USA together with a distaste by the white population for Jack Johnson's preference for the white woman. As a result, his career was cut short and he had to flee the country until he finally decided to return when he was put in jail and served out the time illegally. Before this time senators and congressmen tried to seek a pardon for Jack Johnson but to no avail. To date congress and senate have passed a pardon overwhelmingly to pardon this great man. This Bill is presently on the President's desk awaiting his signature. No doubt, the President will sign that measure as his failure to sign it before may have been an act of concern for his political future. Since this is his final term in office he has no need to be concerned about his future political career. Moreover, presidents usually wait for their last term to pardon persons illegally charged with offenses or those whom they feel should be pardoned. This would be a relief, not only to Jack Johnson's family, who might be now alive but will also indicate that acts of justice in America are still alive and well and miscarriages of justice will never prevail. The fact that this effort to pardon Jack Johnson was a bipartisan one indicates that all are concerned with seeing that justice not only be done but that it be seen to be done. Jack Johnson was not only a boxer, but a very brilliant man but he also patented a modified wrench No. 1413121 to help tighten and loosen fastening devices. He spent time in jail unjustly and upon his being pardoned his family should be justly compensated for false imprisonment. He was a law abiding citizen concerned only with following the Bill of Rights in pursuing life, liberty and happiness in a country where he was born and he helped to make great. May God bless this great man and may those blessings from the patent and the damages that his family would receive shine greatly upon them. As the great, late Dr. Martin Luther King would say let justice fall down rain and righteousness like a mighty stream.