President Trump said Saturday he’s considering a posthumous pardon for boxer Jack Johnson at the urging of actor Sylvester Stallone.
“Sylvester Stallone called me with the story of heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson. His trials and tribulations were great, his life complex and controversial,” Trump tweeted.
“Others have looked at this over the years, most thought it would be done, but yes, I am considering a Full Pardon!” he continued.
Sylvester Stallone called me with the story of heavyweight boxing champion Jack Johnson. His trials and tribulations were great, his life complex and controversial. Others have looked at this over the years, most thought it would be done, but yes, I am considering a Full Pardon!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 21, 2018
Johnson was the first black heavyweight champion of the world. An all-white jury convicted him in 1913 for transporting a woman across state lines for “immoral purposes,” which was illegal under the Mann Act.
Advocates for a pardon, including Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), have lobbied Johnson’s case for years, arguing that the conviction was racially motivated and has unfairly tarnished his legacy.
Read more at thehill.com
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