Papa Jack by Randy Roberts | Jack Johnson, Boxing, Race in Jim Crow America

Papa Jack: Jack Johnson and the Era of White Hopes by Randy Roberts is a gripping historical account of Jack Johnson, the first African American world heavyweight boxing champion, and his defiance of the racist norms of Jim Crow America. Johnsons rise to fame in the early 1900s challenged deeply entrenched social and racial boundaries, provoking national controversy and widespread backlash.

Roberts masterfully tells the story of Johnson's life and legacy, not just as a sports icon but as a symbol of Black resistance during an era defined by segregation, injustice, and White Hope challengers desperate to reclaim boxings crown for white America. With vivid storytelling and scholarly precision, Papa Jack explores the complex intersection of race, media, politics, and sport.

This powerful biography captures a transformative moment in American historywhere the boxing ring became a battleground for civil rights, and one mans boldness forever changed the cultural landscape.

Papa Jack, Jack Johnson, Randy Roberts, Black history, boxing history, race and sports, Jim Crow America, White Hope era, African American athletes, sports biography, heavyweight champion, civil rights, boxing segregation, early 20th century America, racial injustice, sports and society, boxing legends, historical biography, sports icons, Black defiance