The career of he avyweight champion Jack Johnson in spired Howard Sackler's Pulitzer-winning play The Great White Hope, a thinly, veiled depiction of Johnson's life (he was called Jack Jefferson in the drama). Although Sackler took some liberties with Johnson's story, all of its major events were depicted: his 1910 victory in Reno, his, con- United States, and his loss of the heavyweight title in Havana. In both the play and a subsequent tion picture, the leading roles were played by James EarlJones and alex Alexander. Premiering at the arena Stage in Washington on 12 December 1967, the play's exploration of the prevailing racial attitudes of Johnson'sera resonated with audiences then struggling with the ramifications of the Civil Rights movement. The Great White Hope was subsequently performed on Broadway, where it opened on 3 October 1968 at the and ran for 556 performances until 31 January 1970. Later that year...