Jack Johnson was the first boxer I ever really collected and studied (even before I had a good grasp on the influence of Ali).
I doubt Jack was very aware of Richmond, and outside of some surface level similarities, I don't think they were much alike. Jack wasn't really a historian, or an activist of any type. Jack was all about Jack...........which was it's own type of revolutionary in his day.
Jack was closer in personality to Thomas Molineaux (who frustrated Richmond as a mentor/trainer, to no end), but was much more disciplined/skilled as an athlete. Maybe similar to Richmond as a boxer, if that type of comparison can even be made across that wide a gap of boxing evolution.
If I were to compare Richmond to any of the African-American icons of Johnson's time, it would probably be to Joe Jeannette. He gets lost in history, but at the time, he was the most outspoken about black fighters (not just himself) getting more chances in America. He was a very cerebral and outward thinker in many respects, and even called Jack Johnson out several times, for only giving white fighters, and lesser qualified black fighters shots at his title, after beating Tommy Burns. Jack was about the money, Jeannette was more about the "principle".
Certainly, boxing was more progressive then the other sports, when in came to who could participate against each other, especially outside of the U.S..
Then again combat sports fans, have never been particularly picky about who they see beat the tar out of each other, going all the way back to Roman Times, just as long as they get to see somebody (or something), bleed.
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