Was Jack Dempsey racist?

I suppose this depends on context whether it was:

'You disgraced the white race by allowing a black man to fight for your title'

or

'You're crazy you could have drawn the colour line and avoided a tough fight'

or

It didn't happen and it was sour grapes from Greb who didn't get his HW title shot or just misreported.

What was the source?

 

Doubt that was the reason the fight never took place, Dempsey had black sparring partners. If he was an actual racist like Jeffries he wouldn't even let blacks in his camp. Kinda like that story that Dempsey had a midget in camp that he kept around to hit in the nuts for his own amusement.

 

I met Dempsey and he was not a racist, in fact he wanted to fight the black fighters of the day such as Wills, who he felt he could beat by KO. Young Jack Dempsey had a lot of tough fights while he was learning his trade, he employed black sparing partners and treated them well but Dempsey was paid by the promoters and had to go along with the fights they made. Shame he never got to fight Wills because he had the perfect style to beat Harry. Other fighters especially in recent times such as Larry Holmes were given much more slack for avoiding far more fighters.

I think as a fighter Jack was more respectful of blacks then most of the American white population at the time, just the way things were.

 

There is a passage in Pollock's John L Sullivan book about the emerging tradition of white fighters negotiating with black challengers with absolutely no intention of ever fighting them. I thought it was pretty clear as to whom this referred.

 

Ali had white friends I'm sure and Hopkins at one time was trained by Freddie Roach so that dispells that for those wondering. Dempsey of course had black sparring partners so it made no sense for him to hate blacks. I think his promoters may have been racist or mainly trying to avoid "race wars" when scheduling fights for Dempsey. It wouldn't make sense for Dempsey to be racist in this case especially since he was part Native American himself.

I think the terms "racist" and "racism" get thrown around at least in American they do. Even if Dempsey was which would be unfortunate that doesn't ignore what he's done as a great fighter that he was. He was in racist times so he may have associated with racist people but he may not have been racist. Schmeling knew Nazis but he wasn't racist for instance.

 

Jeffries had black sparring partners and friends:deal

 

true its a double standard BS, like its only OK to be prejudice if your black WTF...I don't believe Jack was but B-Hop is, if his statement of I will Never lose to a white boy to Calzage was the other way around...Al Sharpton and the other cry-baby's would be out with there signs and marches. Could you imagine a so-called White fighter like Calzage saying I will never lose to a black boy.....I don't care for racist remarks of any color but your point is on the mark RC

 

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Bummy, you have some nerve to tell the truth...There is a double standard
today in America, when a BHop could spout racial nonsense, when an Ali could join a hate group, T. N. O.I, and become a hero by guilt ridden whites, when a Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton become successful politicians , when even Obama was present for TWENTY years when a vile racist REV. Wright said "God damn America " every Sunday ,and Obama NEVER denounced this preacher UNTIL the truth came out ,when he was running for President...You bet their is a double standard today...All this damn hatred today spewed on a decent man Jack Dempsey dead these many years, by posters 90 years later, because Jack Dempsey did not fight one Harry Wills, [though they signed for a bout], even though Dempsey fought a tough more experienced black avoided heavyweight, John Lester Johnson, who broke young Jack's ribs in 1916, and Dempsey many years later paid JLK Johnson's nursing home bills before Johnson died. And even
though the damn fact dempsey employed the TOUGHEST black heavyweights as sparring partners Big Bill Tate, Big George Godfrey, whom
had steady employment for the years Dempsey was on top. And let it be known when George Godfrey died years later, who paid for his funeral ?
Yes the "bigot" Jack Dempsey...I detest any human being hurting anyone because of his colour or religion...Life is hard enough, and then we die.
But I also care little for some holier than thou posters, who mis treat the memory of a decent man Dempsey, whilst they overlook far worse haters coming from the other side...Your damned right there is now a double standard ! cheers BD.:hi:

 

The dude who threw Choynski out of his camp cos "he was fooling with that nucca" had black friends? I guess it isn't too much of a stretch to imagine, Galento was openely racist and he had black sparring partners too.

 

Jeffries fought 4 times at least against black opponents. I believe he fought more blacks than any white Champion up until Marciano. Certainly you can find quotes from Jeffries that appear highly racist but you would have needed to be highly progressive in those days not sound racist by today's standards.

 

you said that aready

 

Earlier in his career, Jeffries stated that he preferred not to fight Blacks because of the unfair advantage they had in regards to their smell, that he claimed would overwhelm him as much as a KO punch.

Honestly, I usually give these old timers a pretty long leash on this stuff. As we all are, they were products of their times. I am sure in 100 years observers will look back at this era with repugnance for some of our practices and beliefs. It's called evolution. However, I still think Jeffries was a 1st rate ****.