Jack Johnson

have you heard about Jack Johnson he was a hero in this land i don't like to sing about boxing but i hope you'll understand it was the first year they gave the heavyweight title to a black man and in 1908 it ain't so easy he was born right after slavery died right after reconstruction died he was born right after none of that stuff really died it never died at all he would walk down the street wearin' gold & diamonds always held his head up high and he never had to say yes sir or no sir to the white folks as they passed him by or as he passed them by so the great white hope was pulled out of retirement to nurse the bruised & damaged white pride and when johnson beat him down there wasn't a man around on his side when the fight was over there were beatings & murders the worst race riot this country has seen and all because they didn't want a black man they couldn't stand to see a black man winning in the ring who said heroes have to be role models? who said heroes have to be role models anyway?