The fight that shook America

The fight that shook America

From Throughline by NPR

April 28, 2026 · 15 min

About this episode

The episode explores Jack Johnson's impact as the first Black heavyweight champion and his role in challenging white supremacy through boxing.

Jack Johnson was the first world Black heavyweight champion, but winning the title was only part of the battle. Every time Johnson stepped into a boxing ring, he struck a blow to white supremacy. In this week’s episode, the story of Jack Johnson and the legacy of Black athletes pushing for social change in America. To access bonus episodes and listen to Throughline sponsor-free, subscribe to Throughline+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/throughline . See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences. NPR Privacy Policy

People in this episode

Host: Throughline

Topics covered

  • boxing
  • Black athletes
  • social change
  • white supremacy
  • history

Keywords

  • Jack Johnson
  • heavyweight champion
  • boxing
  • Black history
  • social justice

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NPR, Throughline

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