The Longman anthology of American drama Book

This was loosely based on the story of Jack Johnson, the first African-American world heavyweight champion. Johnson infuriated whites by roundly drubbing every white boxer he fought. He also dated white women, a taboo into the early 20th century. Eventually authorities charged Johnson with violating the Mann Act, for which there was little evidence and is recognized as having been motivated by racism.

The play uses all of this as a frame for its story, and makes it a compelling one, though it is highly fictionalized. Sackler renames the character "Jack Jefferson", allowing him that license...and it is a play, after all.

The play was made into a film that earned James Earl Jones an Academy Award "Best Actor" nomination. I haven't seen it...but now I want to.