Film Review: Unforgivable Blackness

This film directed by Ken Burns represents Jack Johnson through his choices and revelation that was a man of persecution, determination, and pride for his well being. He had persecution he suffered throughout his whole life especially during his career as a professional boxer. He had the determination to not only be the best but to resist the ways of common culture in the United State at that time period. Jack Johnson was a man who had great pride of who he was, where he came from, and what he stood for. This film shows how one man can stand out to be free when the rest are controlled by society. There was a quote in the movie that states “while blacks answered to whites, he (jack Johnson) battered them to the ground.” During his reign Jack Johnson would act the way he wanted, said whatever he wanted, and didn’t care what anyone thought beside himself. Jack Johnson specifically told reporters that if they should write anything down write that he was a man. From this we can see that one man can change the views of many. One man can give hope to a whole community. This one man can bring justice to a civilization to change the way blacks and whites viewed one another. Like any African Americans at the time Jack Johnson suffered from lots of persecution. The thing that was so great about Jack Johnson is he used this persecution to fuel himself to become even better. He wouldn’t let this persecution set him back or he wouldn’t even let it get to his head. For example with his boxing stills which consisted of taking a slight beating, waiting for the other boxer to make a mistake, and bobbing back instead of side to side. People said that he was “lazy” and that there was something “untrustworthy,” with his fighting. Jim Corbett, who boxed before Jack Johnson, practiced these techniques but he never seemed to be tormented for these strategies or called lazy and untrustworthy. Also Jack Johnson was very infatuated by white women. He was always with them, which was a sin