GALVESTON, Texas — The historic former Galveston home of legendary boxer Jack Johnson was severely damaged Friday afternoon by a fire.
Fire investigators have not said what they believe caused the blaze.
Neighbors and previous owners of the home say it was originally built in 1912 by Johnson for his wife, Edith.
The home was bought from Johnson in 1939 and remained within the same family until two years ago, according to previous owners.
"When they called yesterday and said it was on fire, it was so hurtful," said Galveston resident Shirley Collins,who grew up in the home originally purchased from Johnson by her grandparents. "We have a lot of memories in this house. A lot of memories.”
Collins looks through a charred window frame near the front of the house.
She is looking into the living room now covered in ash and soot.
Collins points to the spot beneath the room's wooden arches where she stood many years ago as she was married.
"This is a historical spot here, a very historical spot," said Samuel Davis, who is also a grandchild of the couple that purchased the home from Johnson. "This house holds a legacy.”
Jack Johnson is arguably the most famous Galveston resident who ever lived.
The boxer was the first black heavyweight champion of the world.
His memory on the island is commemorated by a street bearing his namesake and by a park with a statue of Johnson.
The fighter's legacy reached far beyond the ropes of a boxing ring.
The boxer was targeted for his marriage to a white woman, and was convicted in 1913 by an all-white jury of violating the Mann Act -- transporting a woman across state lines for an "immoral purpose."
Johnson was imprisoned for the Jim Crow-era crime.
President Donald Trump resurrected Johnson's legacy last year when he granted the boxer a presidential pardon after death.
It is the only time anyone has been pardoned for a crime after they died.
Johnson died in a car crash in 1945.
Former residents of Johnson's Galveston home want it to be saved even though it appears the fire damage is severe.
"It makes the whole family sad to see it in the state it’s in," Davis said. "I would like to see it restored, truly restored, to its original form."
A city of Galveston building permit from 2017 is posted to the front door of the home and states it is owned by Graceland Properties LLC.
Neighbors say the home had been vacant for years as the renovation work continued.
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