Was Jack Dempsey racist?

Not entirely.

There have honestly been times when the best theoretical black challengers, were totally insignificant.

For example when Jim Jefferies won the heavyweight title, the best black heavyweight contender available, had lost to a white welterweight contender.

Is it really a major issue that Jeffries didn't fight him, and indeed that nobody asked him to?

 

well when I say dominated, I mean that's the general pattern, rather than complete 100% domination.

 

In Dempsey's case, it is useful to remember he was part Native-American and part Jewish. He might have had some feel for what ethnic prejudice was like.

 

Actually, that's exactly what his fists did.

 

If Dempsey were around today, he'd be 6'4, 235 and not racist.

 

Who knows. But I don't think he said anything as dumb and racist as "I'D NEVER LET A WHITE BOY BEAT ME!"-Hopkins.

Or "There will never be a white heavyweight champion. So you all can just stop it."- James 'I can't even slur my name anymore' Toney

 

Nor would he be a ******. Especially not for free,not at all! He wouldn't even be a ****** if they paid him double the rate!

I love to listen to people speculate about the mores of someone from almost 100 years ago based on innuendo and half truths. either racism is truly evil, or it is something you can accuse someone of willy nilly. It can't be both.

The debate regarding the comparable fate of the American Indian and American blacks during the turn of century America is priceless. the irrelevant claim that the American black suffered much worse face much worse treatment, when confronted by the fact of the attempted mass extermination of of the American
Indian is met with "Yeah but still ." Every time I read someone saying there is no excuse for the racism that took place hundred years ago I wipe the tears from my eye and the word that come to mind... HERO.

 

This isnt really accurate, the number one coloured contender when Jeffries won the title was Denver Ed Martin,which white welter weight beat him? Jeffries drew with Choynski over 20 rounds,some say Choynski was worth a draw , Choynski was ko'd by Joe Walcott, a black welterweight.It's a major issue that Jeffries did not accept challenges from Martin, McVey ,and Johnson whilst he was champion,imo.Especially as his purse was guaranteed on all three occasions .

 

I don't think that Martin emerged as an outstanding contender until significantly later, around the time of the Ruhlin fight.

It is an issue that Jeffries did not fight Martin, Johnson and McVea, but it is not an issue that he did not fight George Byers (who lost to Tommy West), or Frank Childs.

 

If you're using modem Critical Race Theory standards for racism that are popular on Twitter and other social media right now, then it is almost impossible for him not to have been racist. So I guess it depends which generation's idea of racism you're using.

 

if someone says I no fight blackies then they are acting with racism, whether its 100 years ago or today.

 

Yeah, and when another famous champion says black men should be lynched for going with white women, he gets remembered as a crusader against racism.

 

A mere 50 years ago, or less, too !

 

I don't think that Dempsey would be racist today,...but again, if he would have been,that would be considered a "so what"...hell, if it's cool for a Hopkins or a Toney, than it would have been alright for Dempsey.

 

You got that right. Incredibly ignorant display of double standards. Problem is it seems EXTREMELY fashionable to knock Dempsey, but not so fashionable to knock certain others.