Johnson–Jeffries riots
| Part of the Nadir of American race relations | |
LA Times political cartoon about the riots. | |
| Date | July 4, 1910 |
|---|---|
| Location | United States |
| Type | Race riot |
| Cause | Jack Johnson vs. James J. Jeffries |
| Deaths | 11-26+ |
| Non-fatal injuries | Hundreds |
| Arrests | Hundreds |
The Johnson–Jeffries riots were a series of race riots that occurred throughout the United States after African-American boxer Jack Johnson defeated white boxer James J. Jeffries in a boxing match termed the "Fight of the Century". Johnson became the first black World Heavyweight champion in 1908. This success made him unpopular with the predominantly white American boxing audiences. Jeffries, a former heavyweight champion, came out of retirement to fight Johnson and was nicknamed the "Great White Hope". After Johnson defeated Jeffries on July 4, 1910, many white people became enraged and began attacking black people who were celebrating Johnson's victory.