Last on His Feet: Jack Johnson and the Battle of the Century - Hardcover

by Youssef Daoudi (Author), Adrian Matejka (Author)

On the morning of July 4, 1910, thousands of boxing fans stormed a newly built stadium in Reno, Nevada, to witness an epic showdown. Jack Johnson, the world's first Black heavyweight champion--and most infamous athlete in the world because of his race--was paired against Jim Jeffries, a former heavyweight champion then heralded as the "great white hope." It was the height of the Jim Crow era, and spectators were eager for Jeffries to restore the racial hierarchy that Johnson had pummeled with his quick fists.

Transporting readers directly into the ring, artist Youssef Daoudi and poet Adrian Matejka intersperse dramatic boxing action with vivid flashbacks to reveal how Johnson, the self-educated son of formerly enslaved parents, reached the pinnacle of sport--all while facing down a racist justice system. Through a combination of breathtaking illustrations and striking verse, Last on His Feet honors a contentious civil rights figure who has for more than a century been denied his proper due.

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Last On His Feet is not only a testament to the incredibly complex life of Jack Johnson, but it's also an example of how some stories require more than straight-ahead prose. How some lives can only be captured by the ballet of poetry and razor-sharp imagery, especially a life as beautiful and brutal as Johnson's. Matejka and Daoudi rise to the occasion and turn a tale about one of the most courageous and controversial champions, into an experience so immersive you can almost smell blood and sweat coming from the pages. This is a masterpiece.
--Jason Reynolds, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

"With action, suspense, and introspection, Last On His Feet provides the reader a front row seat to the 'Fight of the Century.' A riveting tale of physical triumph against the backdrop of racism at the turn of the 20th century; a must-read for sport and history fans alike."
--Andrew Aydin, coauthor of March and Run

"A powerful work -- no gimmicks, straightforward narrative with a timeless appeal, beautifully lyrical. Jack Johnson knew his place in this world and liked the finer things in life. He carved inroads to success with fists of righteous anger and keen business sense in a time when the odds were overwhelmingly stacked against someone like him. But if you think Jack Johnson would bend the knee -- then you don't know Jack!"
--Wilfred Santiago, author of 21: The Story of Roberto Clemente