Two years after he defeated the so-called 鈥淕reat White Hope,鈥� legendary boxer Jack Johnson fought another white challenger determined to topple him as heavyweight champion of the world. It took place on July 4, 1912 in Las Vegas, New Mexico, and is the subject of the book 鈥淐razy Fourth: How Jack Johnson Kept His Title and Put Las Vegas New Mexico on the Map,鈥� just published by University of New Mexico Press.
On this month鈥檚 show, the author and former Albuquerque Journal sportswriter Toby Smith talks about the fight, the ongoing racism faced by Johnson and how New Mexico ended up hosting the bout.
Also on the show, we hear from Ashleigh Abbot. She鈥檚 a student, a parent and an artist who wanted to create a project to inspire joy and whimsy during this difficult year of pandemic lockdowns, economic crash and racial justice protests. Brillo the Giant Snail was inspired by a that went on for days.
The shiny and colorful snail has been popping up in neighborhoods around Albuquerque following the trail of rainbows people put up in their windows. Abbott's project is a finalist in the international .
Additional resources
- PBS documentary by Ken Burns
- New York Times
- New York Review of Books
- YouTube
- TED Talk by Helen Marriage about the creation of "The Sultan's Elephant."
- Deseret News
