Originating from the Brown Brothers archive, this 4" x 5" original glass plate negative is a remarkable piece of boxing and American sports history. On December 26, 1908 Johnson defeated Tommy Burns to become the first black heavyweight Champion. A title he would hold for almost seven years until April 5, 1915. Johnson's portrait has been captured as he poses bare-chested, perfectly framed against the angular background. This intimate look at one of America's truly groundbreaking athletes is all the more stunning when considering how close this very plate and the photographer were to Johnson at this moment. What was said? Did the photographer know Johnson? Was Johnson's training session halted to take this shot? It's enough to make our imaginations run wild. Delicate glass plate negative itself remains in superb condition with very mild toning towards the center.