Jack Johnson

First African American World Heavyweight Boxing Champion (1908–1915) · Boxing - Combat Sports

Heavyweight Champion of the World / Boxing Hall of Fame

Refined Late-Career - circa 1930s to early 1940s

Paper slip or cut fragment

Fair to Good; significant yellowing/oxidation of the paper, minor surface abrasions, but the ink remains legible and dark.

Rare; Johnson signed fairly often but pieces with full career titles ('Former Champion') are less common than simple name signatures.

Overall Assessment

A highly desirable, authentic-looking example of a legendary athlete's signature with a premium inscription. Ideal for a serious sports historian.

Likely authentic based on letter formations and natural flow; confidence level 85%. Requires physical examination for ink depth.

Cursive script with significant loop flourishes; includes a rare 'Former Champion' inscription in a stylized hand.

Consistent baseline for the name with an upward-slanted inscription; fast execution speed with no evidence of hesitant 'drawing'.

Early blue or black fountain pen ink on aged paper or light cardboard, showing natural feathering and oxidation.

A small, roughly cut strip of aged, light-brown acidic paper, likely part of a larger album page or ledger, featuring a signature and title.

$1,200 - $2,500 USD (higher if authenticated by PSA/JSA due to the rare inscription).

Matches verified exemplars from the 1930s, particularly the way he looped the 'n' in Johnson and the cursive 'F' in Former.

Look for the specific 'JJ' loop connection and the distinctively tall, thin 'k' in Jack. Johnson's hand remained steady even in later years.

JSA (James Spence Authentication) or PSA/DNA; they have the largest databases of early 20th-century boxing exemplars.

No significant red flags; the natural aging of the ink and the specificity of the 'Former Champion' script are typically hard to forge convincingly.

Establishing if this came from a known mid-century boxing collection or autograph album would secure the upper end of the price range.

Signed during his post-fighting years when he worked as a storyteller and celebrity, referencing his 1908-1915 legendary reign.

Appreciating; Johnson has seen a significant rise in collector interest following his posthumous presidential pardon in 2018.

High; as a cornerstone figure in civil rights and sports history, his signature is a blue-chip historical asset.

Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis, and James J. Jeffries autographs are of similar era and historical boxing importance.

Must be placed in a UV-protected Mylar sleeve or acid-free frame to prevent further browning of the acidic paper stock.

Johnson was known to have beautiful penmanship and often added his title to remind fans of his hard-fought status in a segregated era.

Identified on 7/6/2026