content: While Jeff Wells does an excellent job capturing the tenor of the times he does Tommy Burns a grave disservice in treating him as the bad guy of his story, and Johnson the great hero. Burns could have done what previous holders of the heavyweight championship had done, and flatly refused to give Johnson a shot at the title. But, unlike the others, he allowed Johnson, a black man, his big chance. It was Johnson who turned his back on his race and denied similar opportunities to Sam Langford, Joe Jeannette, and Sam McVea. Jack Johnson was a talented fighter, but not much of a human being.