History on Fire [RERUN] EPISODE 83: From Slavery to Boxing: The Story of Bill Richmond
“Every talent must unfold itself in fighting.” Friedrich Nietzsche
“Boxing inhabits a sacred space predating civilization; or, to use D.H. Lawrence’s phrase, before God was love.” Joyce Carol Oates
Stories that begin with slavery rarely end in happiness. I’m a huge fan of celebrating individual achievements in the face of terrible circumstances, but the reality is that the cards you are handed early in life usually shape the possible outcomes. The story we chat about today, though, is one that at least partially defeats the odds. Mr. Bill Richmond, the subject of our tale, was born in slavery in New York, in 1763. Not only did Richmond found his way out slavery, but he ended up moving across the globe, marrying a white lady in England, becoming a professional boxer at a time when the sport was infinitely more brutal than it is today, and ultimately becoming one of the first African American superstars in sports.
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