American (early 20th century) CHAMPION OF THE WORLD JACK JOHNSON lithograph on paper, framed sight size: H18 .25in. ; W14.5in. Jack Johnson (1878-1946), American boxer, whose life was the subject of "The Great White Hope" (1969), a Pulitzer prize-winning drama by America playwright Howard Sackler. Johnson was born John Arthur Johnson in Galveston, Texas. He began his professional boxing career in 1899 and fought his last bout in 1927. Johnson won a disputed world championship heavyweight title from the Canadian boxer Tommy Burns in 1908 in Sydney, Australia. In 1910 in Reno, Nevada, Johnson knocked out the former heavyweight champion, American boxer Jim Jeffries, who was attempting to regain the title. With this victory Johnson became the first African-American heavyweight champion of he world. He lost the title to the American boxer Jess Willard in Havana in 1915, after being knocked out in the 26th round.