Congressional Record—House H9886
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H9886 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — HOUSE September 25, 2008 Chair’s prior announcement, further motivated murders of African Americans na- gentleman from Utah (Mr. CANNON) proceedings on this motion will be tionwide; each will control 20 minutes. postponed. Whereas the resentment felt toward Jack The Chair recognizes the gentle- Johnson by many Whites was compounded woman from California. The point of no quorum is considered by his relationships with White women; withdrawn. Whereas between 1901 and 1910, 754 African GENERAL LEAVE f Americans were lynched, some simply for Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. being ‘‘too familiar’’ with White women; Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that RECESS Whereas in 1910, Congress passed the all Members have 5 legislative days to The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- White-slave traffic Act (commonly known as revise and extend their remarks and in- ant to clause 12(a) of rule I, the Chair the ‘‘Mann Act’’), which outlawed the trans- clude extraneous material on the bill portation of women in interstate or foreign under consideration. declares the House in recess subject to commerce ‘‘for the purpose of prostitution or the call of the Chair. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there debauchery, or for any other immoral pur- objection to the request of the gentle- Accordingly (at 11 o’clock and 34 pose’’; minutes a.m.), the House stood in re- Whereas in October 1912, Jack Johnson be- woman from California? There was no objection. cess subject to the call of the Chair. came involved with a White woman, Lucille Cameron, whose mother disapproved of the Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. f relationship, claimed that Johnson had ab- Speaker, I yield myself such time as I b 1205 ducted her daughter, and sought action from may consume. the Department of Justice; I rise today in support of this resolu- AFTER RECESS Whereas Jack Johnson was arrested by tion expressing the sense of Congress The recess having expired, the House United States marshals on October 18, 1912, that the President should grant a post- for transporting Lucille Cameron across was called to order by the Speaker pro humous pardon to John Arthur ‘‘Jack’’ State lines for an ‘‘immoral purpose’’ in vio- Johnson for the 1913 racially motivated tempore (Mr. HOLDEN) at 12 o’clock and lation of the Mann Act, but Cameron refused 5 minutes p.m. conviction of Mr. Johnson, which di- to cooperate with authorities, the charges minished his athletic, cultural and his- f were dropped, and Cameron later married the champion; toric significance and tarnished his EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS Whereas Federal authorities continued to reputation. THAT THE PRESIDENT SHOULD pursue Jack Johnson and summoned Belle More importantly, Mr. Speaker, GRANT A POSTHUMOUS PARDON Schreiber, a White woman, to testify that adoption of this resolution and grant- TO JOHN ARTHUR ‘‘JACK’’ JOHN- Johnson had transported her across State ing of this posthumous pardon by the lines for the purposes of ‘‘prostitution and SON President would remove a nearly cen- debauchery’’; tury-old stain from the reputation of Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California. Mr. Whereas in 1913, Jack Johnson was con- this Nation. Although the harm in- Speaker, I move to suspend the rules victed of violating the Mann Act and was flicted on Mr. Johnson can never be un- sentenced to 1 year and 1 day in Federal pris- and agree to the concurrent resolution done, it is nevertheless important that (H. Con. Res. 214) expressing the sense on, but fled the country to Canada and then to various European and South American we set the record straight and ac- of Congress that the President should countries; knowledge that he was wrongfully con- grant a posthumous pardon to John Ar- Whereas Jack Johnson lost the heavy- victed in a disgraceful climate of racial thur ‘‘Jack’’ Johnson for the 1913 ra- weight championship title to Jess Willard in hatred. cially motivated conviction of John- Cuba in 1915; John Arthur ‘‘Jack’’ Johnson was a son, which diminished his athletic, cul- Whereas Jack Johnson returned to the flamboyant, defiant and controversial tural, and historic significance, and United States in July 1920, surrendered to figure in American history who chal- tarnished his reputation. the authorities, and served nearly 1 year in lenged racial biases. The son of former The Clerk read the title of the con- the United States Penitentiary at Leaven- slaves, Jack Johnson was a profes- worth, Kansas; current resolution. Whereas Jack Johnson fought boxing sional boxer who traveled throughout The text of the concurrent resolution matches after his release from prison, but the United States and the world, fight- is as follows: never regained the heavyweight champion- ing both black and white heavyweight H. CON. RES. 214 ship title; boxers. He was without question one of Whereas John Arthur ‘‘Jack’’ Johnson was Whereas Jack Johnson supported this Na- the greatest boxers this Nation has a flamboyant, defiant, and controversial fig- tion during World War II by encouraging ever produced. ure in American history who challenged ra- citizens to buy war bonds and by partici- The resentment felt towards Mr. cial biases; pating in exhibition boxing matches to pro- Johnson by many whites was not lim- Whereas Jack Johnson was born in Gal- mote the sale of war bonds; ited to his successes in the ring. It was veston, Texas, in 1878 to parents who were Whereas Jack Johnson died in an auto- compounded by his relationship with former slaves; mobile accident in 1946; and Whereas in 1954, Jack Johnson was in- white women, an issue which aroused Whereas Jack Johnson was a professional not just anger, but brutal violence. Be- boxer who traveled throughout the United ducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame: Now, States and the world, fighting both Black therefore, be it tween 1901 and 1910, 754 African Ameri- and White heavyweight boxers; Resolved by the House of Representatives (the cans were lynched, some simply for Senate concurring), That it is the sense of Whereas in 1908, after being denied the op- being perceived as ‘‘too familiar’’ with Congress that— portunity to fight two White boxing cham- white women. (1) John Arthur ‘‘Jack’’ Johnson paved the pions on purely racial grounds, Jack John- In 1912, Jack Johnson was arrested by way for African American athletes to par- son was granted an opportunity by an Aus- ticipate and succeed in racially integrated United States marshals and charged tralian promoter to fight Tommy Burns, the professional sports in the United States; with transporting his future wife, Lu- reigning world heavyweight champion; (2) Jack Johnson was wronged by a racially cille Cameron, across State lines for an Whereas Jack Johnson defeated Burns to motivated conviction prompted by his suc- ‘‘immoral purpose’’ in violation of the become the first African American to hold cess in the boxing ring and his relationships the title of world heavyweight champion; Mann Act. Ms. Cameron refused to co- with White women; Whereas the victory of Jack Johnson over operate with the authorities, the (3) the criminal conviction of Jack John- Burns prompted the search for a White boxer charges were dropped, and she later son unjustly ruined his career and destroyed who could beat him, a recruitment effort married the champion. his reputation; and dubbed the search for the ‘‘Great White Federal authorities continued to pur- (4) the President should grant a post- Hope’’; humous pardon to Jack Johnson to expunge sue Jack Johnson and subsequently Whereas in Reno, Nevada, in 1910, in what from the annals of American criminal justice sought to prosecute him based on was referred to by many as the ‘‘Battle of a racially motivated abuse of the prosecu- charges of ‘‘prostitution and debauch- the Century’’, a White former heavyweight torial authority of the Federal Government, ery.’’ This time they were able to ob- champion named James ‘‘Jim’’ Jeffries came and to recognize Jack Johnson’s athletic and back from retirement to fight, and lose to, tain a conviction, and Mr. Johnson was cultural contributions to society. Jack Johnson; forced to flee the country. Whereas the defeat of Jeffries by Jack The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursu- He returned to the United States in Johnson sparked rioting and aggression to- ant to the rule, the gentlewoman from July 1920, surrendered to the authori- ward African Americans and led to racially California (Ms. ZOE LOFGREN) and the ties, and served nearly 1 year in the VerDate Aug 31 2005 04:16 Sep 26, 2008 Jkt 069060 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 4634 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\K25SE7.032 H25SEPT1 rfrederick on PROD1PC67 with HOUSE.