Photograph of Jack Johnson and Jim Jeffries
date: label: Date
content: July 4, 1910
name: label: Photograph by
content: Percy Dana Studio, American
label: Subject of
content: Jack Johnson, American, 1878 - 1946
label: Subject of
content: James J. Jeffries, American, 1875 - 1953
notes: label: Caption
content: This 1910 boxing match between Jack Johnson, the first African American World Heavyweight Champion, and James Jeffries, the previously undefeated World Heavyweight Champion, is known as the first "Fight of the Century" or the "Johnson-Jeffries Prize Fight." The eagerly anticipated fight had significant racial implications, with overtly racist press directed towards Johnson in the lead up. Johnson beat Jeffries in the fifteenth round, after knocking him down three times. As African Americans celebrated Johnson's victory in the week after the fight, whites retaliated and dozens of race riots broke out across the country. The violence of the "Johnson-Jeffries riots" took place in both large cities and small towns in Ohio, Texas, Arkansas, Illinois, New York, Missouri, Virginia, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, and the District of Columbia. The true toll is unknown, but it is estimated that at least ten African Americans were killed and hundreds of people were injured.
label: Description
content: A black and white photograph of Jack Johnson and Jim Jeffries in the boxing ring surrounded by a huge crowd during the boxing match on July 4, 1910 in Reno, Nevada.
label: Description
content: In the center of the image, encircled on all sides by a large crowd, is a rectangular boxing ring, with Johnson on the right turned towards the camera and Jeffries on the left turned mostly away from the camera. Both are shirtless, in boxing shorts, shoes, and gloves. Each man is in a boxing stance with one leg forward and their gloved hands held close to their waist. The referee, dressed in a white shirt, pants with suspenders, necktie, and boater hat, observes from just to the left of the boxers. The image shows rows of seated spectators in the foreground and surrounding the ring, with the tightly packed crowd extending behind the ring into raised stands and comprising much of the background of the photograph. There is a sign in the center of the crowd which reads [“BULL” / DURHAM].
label: Description
content: Black text appears across the bottom edge the boxing ring reading [DANA / Photo / S.F. / No. 63. The Crowd at the Ringside. Reno, July 4, 1910 / Copyright By 1910]. There are no further marks or inscriptions, front or back. The back of the photograph is mostly covered with the remains of black paper to which the photograph had previously been affixed.
place: label: Place depicted
content: Reno, Washoe County, Nevada, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Athletes
label: Topic
content: Boxing
label: Topic
content: Race relations
label: Topic
content: Race riots
label: Topic
content: Sports
label: Topic
content: U.S. History, 1865-1921
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Classification
content: Photographs and Still Images
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2023.96.3
objectType: label: Type
content: gelatin silver prints
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No known copyright restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: silver and photographic gelatin on photographic paper
label: Dimensions
content: L x W: 4 1/4 × 6 1/2 in. (10.8 × 16.5 cm)