McCain and others seek a posthumous presidential pardon for boxer Jack Johnson.
Wired PR News – Senator John McCain and others called for a pardon from President Barack Obama Wednesday for the late African American boxer Jack Johnson. As reported by the Associated Press (AP), McCain revealed a motion urging the president to pardon Johnson, who was imprisoned due to a having a relationship with a white woman in 1913. Johnson was convicted of a Mann Act violation, which as noted by the AP, prohibited the transport of women across state lines “for immoral purposes.”
McCain is quoted as stating of the matter, “We need to erase this act of racism which sent an American citizen to prison on a trumped-up charge… I have great confidence this president will be more than eager to sign this legislation and pardon Jack Johnson.” The Senator is further quoted as stating of plans to speak with Obama regarding the pardon, “I think the last person I have to convince probably is President Obama.”
