Un -Crowned Black Kings

 

 

The appearance of black men as fist fighters pre-dates the Emancipation Proclamation. ( As early as 1810, former Virginia slave, Tom Molineax fought Tom Cribb for the recognized championship of the civilized world. ) At it's roots ,the prize ring, outlawed and scorned by proper society, was oddly a forum without divison by color, particularly in the lower weight classess. Sullivan had his "color line" for Peter Jackson; but Corbett fought Jackson, although not after becoming champion; Jeffries drew his "color line" with Johnson, but only after breaking his arm in a bout with Bob Armstrong, and ultimately Jeffries would fight Johnson. However, following the tumultous reign of Jack Johnson, American society imposed not a color line but a wall descended in the heavyweight division . No black man would fight for the championship for almost a quarter of a century.

These then are the images of Un-Crowned Black Kings, some famous, some infamous, many unknown who pounded out a living with their fists on the other side of that color line.