81R5264 JH-D
 
  By: Eiland H.R. No. 220
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
         WHEREAS, March 31, 2009, marks the 131st anniversary of the
  birth of Jack Johnson, a native of Galveston and the first African
  American to win the world heavyweight boxing championship; and
         WHEREAS, After gaining experience as a sparring partner,
  Mr. Johnson began fighting in private clubs in and around
  Galveston, and in 1897 he became a professional prizefighter; in
  1903, he won the Negro heavyweight championship, and five years
  later, in a victorious match in Australia, he claimed the world
  heavyweight title; and
         WHEREAS, Outraged by Mr. Johnson's triumph, numerous
  commentators voiced the racial prejudice common in the early 1900s
  and called for his defeat by a white boxer; eventually, a bout was
  arranged with Jim Jeffries, a former heavyweight champion; on July
  4, 1910, Mr. Johnson knocked out his foe in the 15th round to retain
  his title; his reign as heavyweight champ extended for five years,
  but his life underwent a major change in 1913, when he was convicted
  on a contrived charge; to avoid a yearlong prison sentence, he fled
  the country and settled in Europe; and
         WHEREAS, Mr. Johnson was in Spain when the United States
  entered World War I, and he became active in U.S. military
  intelligence; his work helped to prevent German submarine crews
  from landing on the Spanish coast; and
         WHEREAS, After returning to the United States in 1920,
  Mr. Johnson served his prison sentence and also fought in
  exhibition matches, refereed fights, and worked with other boxers
  as a manager and sometimes as a trainer; during World War II, he
  again stepped forward to serve his country by encouraging citizens
  to buy war bonds; in 1954, eight years after he died in an
  automobile accident, he was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame;
  and
         WHEREAS, In 1967, The Great White Hope, a play based loosely
  on Mr. Johnson's life, premiered in Washington, D.C.; the following
  year, the play moved to Broadway, and James Earl Jones and Jane
  Alexander won Tony Awards for their performances in the leading
  roles; the drama was made into a film in 1970; and
         WHEREAS, An enormously gifted athlete, Mr. Johnson was
  famous for his flawless boxing and near-perfect defense; he fought
  in 113 matches and lost only 6; unbowed in the face of racism, he
  exhibited great personal courage and, in times of national crisis,
  signal patriotism; now, therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas
  Legislature hereby recognize March 31, 2009, as Jack Johnson Day at
  the State Capitol in honor of this distinguished Texan and
  exceptional athlete.