Reexamining Jack Johnson, Stereotypes, and America's White Press, 1908-1915

This historical-critical study seeks to better situate the Jack Johnson controversy amid contemporary theories of race, culture, and the news media. The study invokes theories of Whiteness to better demonstrate how dominant White interests, as reflected by the White news media, contained the boxer by consistently defining him on their terms. This perspective contrasts with pervasive accounts that position Johnson as a paragon of resistance within an epic narrative. In contrast, the analysis argues that Johnson ultimately reinforced White stereotypes and caused White interests to expand color barriers in sports and develop new stereotypes to contain future Black athletes.