President Trump on Thursday granted a posthumous pardon to Jack Johnson, boxing's first black heavyweight champion, after being urged to do so by “Rocky” star Sylvester Stallone. Johnson fled the country after his conviction, but he agreed years later to return and serve a 10-month jail sentence. Stallone, as well as Johnson’s great-great niece, had urged Trump to pardon him and in April Trump said that Stallone had called him about it. Filmmaker Ken Burns, who was part of an effort to pardon Johnson, welcomed the move and called it "the right thing to do. "The pardon announced today helps correct an injustice experienced by Jack Johnson.

Source: Fox News May 24, 2018 17:06 UTC