Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson

One of History's most amazing stories. One couldn't make this up because the facts of this man's life is unbelievable. Just amazingly pieced together documentary that flows seamlessly and doesn't have any dead wait despite length, although more boxing footage would be appreciated.

Jack Johnson's words narrated by Samuel Jackson is just truly amazing and moving, a self-educated (extremely) articulate son of a slave that just happens to box, and not get murdered by a white mob, despite spiting in the eye of societies standards and the status-quo. One of histories truly amazing characters. Not to mention, one of the best fighters of all-time, if not the best. Far ahead of his time in every instance, a much more articulate and socially important version of Terrell Owens of his day, or even Ali. This is a must see with a great subject, filmmakers, and a dream team of narrators, although more James Earl Jones would have been fantastic.

Filmmaker Ken Burns is the Master of the Documentary! Here is yet another prime example of his masterful skills!

We have a masterpiece of a documentary here! One thing this reviewer loves about Ken Burns is he never sugar-coats things; he always tells the stark truth. Burns always makes certain to rustle the skirts of the Prudes; jostle the Pretentious; awaken those who have fallen Morally Asleep; and, most importantly, inform the ignorant with Cold, Hard Facts!

Jack Johnson is probably the greatest, most skilled boxer who ever walked the planet. What Ken Burns accomplishes so adeptly is he accurately brings to life the uniquely American Social Matrix in which Jack Johnson shone like a peerless comet in the night sky!

What is the greatest achievement of Jack Johnson? Perhaps that he accomplished everything he did in the midst of powerful, anti-Black racism.

White Americans did not know how to cope with the likes of Jack Johnson - who took orders from no one; who, from the age of 12, saw himself as special; who was supremely skilled as a boxer, and used boxing as a means to "get out of" Galveston, Texas; who dated, and in a couple cases, actually married White women (Mr. Johnson once said, "I sleep with who I want to"), and this was in the 1910s & the 1920s! Mr. Burns relates all this information in a cinematic fashion so skillfully, the viewer doesn't even fully realize how much he/she is learning!

Whites promoted White boxer after White boxer to challenge Heavyweight Champion Jack Johnson - each successive White challenger being called "The Great White Hope" by supportive Whites. Well, Jack Johnson mowed them all down like grass. Whites started referring to Jack Johnson as "The Black Peril." After nearly every Johnson victory, some Whites would riot, out of anger & frustration.

Considering all this, it's no wonder Jack Johnson received numerous Death Threats, sometimes, in the middle of a bout!

As far as Jack Johnson's "demise" is concerned, he never really had an actual demise. This reviewer will defer to the masterful Ken Burns to tell the conspiracy-laced story of how the U. S. Government "took Johnson down".

The contributions from boxing historian Bert Sugar & the commentary by James Earl Jones are especially valuable!

Ken Burns has created a documentary masterpiece. 10 out of 10 stars! Don't miss this one.

As a youngster I heard about this man Jack Johnson. Even then I thought those same stories were fiction. Afterall, no one could convince me that, in the early 1900's a black, Negro, could have possibly conducted his life in such a way to disdain social mores not only to the degree in and of itself, but more so in his audacity.

Marrying and dating white women?? Come on. And he did not get killed? It shows that even for those times, America had this certain elasticity in dealing with a unique personality such as Johnson's.

This movie weaves his life thoughtfully, slowly (a 2 disc set after all) and with dignity. The voices that contributed to this story is so widely varied that I implore you to check the movie's credits. From Ed Harris, Kevin Conway, Samuel L. Jackson and the lead narrator, Keith David. But these voices aren't the complete range of contributors. For this kind of talent to come together is a testament to the power of the story and the pull that director Ken Burns commands.

Unforgivable Blackness ... is a powerful, thought provoking part of the American Experience. To that end, PBS deserves continued credit for bringing history to the masses.

Humbly Submitted and with deep emotions, Ron W.

Ken Burns has done an amazing documentary on the life of Jack Johnson -but even more amazing is the story he tells of the times in which Johnson lived. There is still racism in this country, for sure - one wants to believe that at least in most parts of the country, it is a little more circumspect than racism was during Johnson's life. This documentary provides a truly astounding look at this country at the beginning of the century, and a lot of it is unattractive. Johnson, called "The Ethiopian," could not go after the heavyweight title because the white fighters swore no black man would ever have it. When he finally did get it, Jim Jefferson, the undefeated champion, who had refused to fight Johnson, was dragged out of retirement 10 years and 100 pounds later to try to reclaim the title. He failed, and commented that in his prime, he could never have beat Johnson.

In his belief system, Johnson came up against a contemporary, Booker T. Washington, who believed that, rather than worry about segregation, blacks should build a power, education, and money base first. Johnson preferred to live as if segregation did not exist. He lived in white neighborhoods, moved his mother into one, flaunted his money, and consorted with white women. His quest for individualism cost him dearly. He bucked a system that simply would not stand for it.

This is a fascinating piece of our history, one that should not be missed.

What a perfect documentary. What a master Ken Burns is. Unforgivable is the story of the indestructible Jack Johnson, the first black heavyweight boxing champion, whose legendary style downed even the toughest white contenders inside the ring, and sent almost every white American into a frenzy of racial contempt for him, outside the ring.

Jack Johnson is such a rich subject; it seems we could never tire of him. He was the rags to riches American dream. He was the champ who repulsed an entire generation of whites - refuting their fundamental belief that blacks were by nature inferior beings. He was the pioneer that paved the way for future black athletes, who had formerly been relegated to Negro leagues. And he was the social trailblazer as well, integrating with whites in unprecedented and often dangerous ways.

Now Burns has reconstructed his life in and outside the ring through this wonderful collection of photos, interviews, film reels and archival documents. In short, I've seen no other documentary that so pungently depicts the black struggle to be accepted, and indeed, free in America.