Back to Show
Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson
Speeding Tickets
Jack Johnson was given speeding tickets scores of times over the years, sometimes because he really was driving too fast — and sometimes simply because white policemen couldn’t stand to see a black man behind the wheel of a costly racing car. He also later joined a vaudeville troupe, where he made good money under tough working conditions.
Support Provided By

Unlock with PBS Passport
1:42:12
See Jack Johnson's rise to the top of the boxing world and witness the country's reaction

Unlock with PBS Passport
1:51:00
Follow Jack Johnson's remarkable journey from his humble beginnings to entering the ring.