“Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson” is a documentary about the first black world heavyweight boxing champion John Arthur “Jack” Johnson. 1910, after years of trying to challenge the white heavyweight champions, Jack won the title. The era in which Johnson fought was full of racial tension and hostility (film). When you hear stories of past discrimination and oppression it is natural to compare them to today's society and talk about past oppressions as if they did not exist even though there have been riots and revolts among minority groups to gain equality, we can still see many parallels today compared a hundred years ago, Jack Johnson began boxing at a young age. He was known for his unique boxing techniques and quickly rose through the ranks until he defeated everyone who challenged him world heavyweight championship of that time. Each champion denied Jack's demands, stating that they would not fight a black man (film). Jack Johnson's fighting ability became well known and he attracted huge crowds to his bouts. This in turn attracted large sums of money for Jack, allowing for a lavish lifestyle that many blacks could not obtain at the time. He was known for ostentatious dressing, countless run-ins with the law, and flaunting his money. He was also known for visiting brothels in the cities he visited and later known for dating exclusively white women; all of whom came from different backgrounds and socioeconomic classes (Film). Finally in 1910, after years of stalking and harassment...... half of the newspaper ...... ngtonpost.com). When you watch a film like “Unforgivable Blackness: The Rise and Fall of Jack Johnson,” it is easy to assume that we have transcended harmful acts towards minority groups. We are often unable to see the trends of a hundred years ago and apply the same behaviors to those underway today. While some examples may not be as severe as those from 1910, today we can still find behaviors and attitudes that perpetuate ideals of discrimination, racism, sexism and stereotypes. Not only do these negative behaviors affect the victims, but we also see the tendency to pass these ideals on to the next generation. Until we are able to recognize our own shortcomings and admit that we as a society have carried forward these ideals of discrimination, we will continue to find ourselves in the endless cycle of discriminatory acts and passing these lessons on to the next generation..