A Controversial Hero

At a time when race was a predominant factor in American society , a man appeared who defied the prejudice. His name was Jack Johnson and he was the greatest boxer of all times. Jack Johnson was born on March 31, 1878, in Galveston ,Texas. He was the second of six children. His family was very poor. Jack turned to boxing to survive. He boxed professionally from 1897 to 1928 . In 1908 , Johnson knocked out Jim Jeffries , the white champion , and became the first African American heavy weight champion of the world. During his boxing career, Jack Johnson fought 114 fights and won 80 matches, 45 by knockout. His great power and skill in the ring awed the boxing world . However, because of the prejudice of the times, he received bad publicity from the press and his fights even caused race riots. This prejudice was furtherd by the fact that he married a white woman. Jack Johnson refused to give in to prejudice and discrimination ,and in so doing , became a great hero to all races.

Uncle Barry at Work

Uncle Barry at Work
Originally uploaded by Uncle Barry.

Now I am at work. I am sitting in front of my computer. I am looking at my blog. I am planning to write something to you. I am thinking deeply. I am thinking, thinking, and thinking. I know what I am going to write! I will write a paragraph and tell you what I like to do. Please read my paragraph.


What I Like To Do

I love to practice taichi. Taichi is an ancient Chinese exercise and martial art. It is characterized by slow graceful movements. I usually practice taichi in the morning when the sun begins to rise. This is a quiet part of the day and the air is fresh. I usually practice taichi in front of my house but sometimes I do it at the beach. I usually practice taichi alone but sometimes I practice it with my students and friends. I practice taichi because it is good for my health. Moreover, it gives me peace of mind and the sense of being in harmony with nature. I first learned taichi from my Chinese master in Taiwan and that was many years ago. I have been practicing taichi for more than thirty years now, and I will continue practicing this beautiful ancient exercise because of the many benefits it gives me.

Now answer the following questions and use your answers to write a paragraph on what you like to do:

What do you like to do?
When do you do it?
Where do you do it?
Who do you do it with?
Why do you do it?
When was the first time you did it?

First Assignment

My name is Barry Melvin Wicksman or BMW for short. I am 61 years old but everyone says that I look younger . Physically, I am 5"5' tall and weigh 143 lbs. I am humorous, outgoing and friendly. My hobbies are jogging, swimming, and practicing taichi. At present, I am teaching English at Northern Marianas College. I love teaching especially writing. I am looking forward to learning about you. Please tell me about yourself.