Sam Langford: National Historic Person Plaque
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Video
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Activities
LOOK
Sam Langford’s plaque in Nova Scotia commemorates his achievements in the sport of boxing. What are some key facts we learn about Langford from reading the plaque?
THINK
Think about who decides who gets commemorated as a great Canadian.
If you were on the decision panel, what criteria or characteristics would you use to decide who should be commemorated as a great Canadian?
DO
Rewatch the segment of the episode about Sam Langford. Try writing your own plaque about Langford, highlighting some of his accomplishments during his boxing career.
Details
Date n.d.
Materials - Photograph
Transcript
Sam Langford, a Black boxer, was one of the best fighters never to have held a world title. Born in Weymouth Falls, he moved to Boston, where his skills were soon recognized. Langford was not a big man, but proved to be one of the most punishing punchers in boxing history. Between 1902 and 1923 he fought nearly 300 recorded bouts in every division from lightweight to heavyweight, and was rarely defeated. He never got the title match he deserved because no champion would risk his title against him.
Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada
Government of Canada
Historical Context
Choose one of the three levels below to match your needs.
- This is a plaque in Nova Scotia that commemorates Sam Langford’s achievements in the sport of boxing.
- He competed in both lightweight and heavyweight matches, fighting many tough-to-beat opponents.
- Because of racism, he never had the chance to compete for a world boxing title, even though many boxing experts considered him one of the best.
This is a plaque in Nova Scotia that commemorates Sam Langford’s achievements in the sport of boxing.
He rose up the ranks in professional boxing from the age of 16 and met with much success during the 1930s. Called the “Boston Bonecrusher,” Langford was known for his fierce punching style and for going the distance in matches.
He competed in both lightweight and heavyweight matches, fighting many tough-to-beat opponents.
Because of racism, he never had the chance to compete for a world boxing title, even though many boxing critics saw him as one of the best of his era.
This is a plaque in Nova Scotia that commemorates Sam Langford’s achievements in the sport of boxing.
He rose up the ranks in professional boxing from the age of 16 and met with much success during the 1930s. Called the “Weymouth Wizard” and the “Boston Bonecrusher,” Langford was known for his fierce punching style and for going the distance in matches.
He competed in both lightweight and heavyweight matches, fighting many tough-to-beat opponents.
Because of discriminatory practices, many white boxers and even Jack Johnson, a Black heavyweight champion, did not want to see Sam as an opponent, so he never had the chance to compete for a world boxing title. Despite this lack of formal recognition, many boxing critics saw Langford as one of the best of his era.
- This is a plaque in Nova Scotia that commemorates Sam Langford’s achievements in the sport of boxing.
- He competed in both lightweight and heavyweight matches, fighting many tough-to-beat opponents.
- Because of racism, he never had the chance to compete for a world boxing title, even though many boxing experts considered him one of the best.
This is a plaque in Nova Scotia that commemorates Sam Langford’s achievements in the sport of boxing.
He rose up the ranks in professional boxing from the age of 16 and met with much success during the 1930s. Called the “Boston Bonecrusher,” Langford was known for his fierce punching style and for going the distance in matches.
He competed in both lightweight and heavyweight matches, fighting many tough-to-beat opponents.
Because of racism, he never had the chance to compete for a world boxing title, even though many boxing critics saw him as one of the best of his era.
This is a plaque in Nova Scotia that commemorates Sam Langford’s achievements in the sport of boxing.
He rose up the ranks in professional boxing from the age of 16 and met with much success during the 1930s. Called the “Weymouth Wizard” and the “Boston Bonecrusher,” Langford was known for his fierce punching style and for going the distance in matches.
He competed in both lightweight and heavyweight matches, fighting many tough-to-beat opponents.
Because of discriminatory practices, many white boxers and even Jack Johnson, a Black heavyweight champion, did not want to see Sam as an opponent, so he never had the chance to compete for a world boxing title. Despite this lack of formal recognition, many boxing critics saw Langford as one of the best of his era.
Summary
- This is a plaque in Nova Scotia that commemorates Sam Langford’s achievements in the sport of boxing.
- He competed in both lightweight and heavyweight matches, fighting many tough-to-beat opponents.
- Because of racism, he never had the chance to compete for a world boxing title, even though many boxing experts considered him one of the best.
Essential
This is a plaque in Nova Scotia that commemorates Sam Langford’s achievements in the sport of boxing.
He rose up the ranks in professional boxing from the age of 16 and met with much success during the 1930s. Called the “Boston Bonecrusher,” Langford was known for his fierce punching style and for going the distance in matches.
He competed in both lightweight and heavyweight matches, fighting many tough-to-beat opponents.
Because of racism, he never had the chance to compete for a world boxing title, even though many boxing critics saw him as one of the best of his era.
In-Depth
This is a plaque in Nova Scotia that commemorates Sam Langford’s achievements in the sport of boxing.
He rose up the ranks in professional boxing from the age of 16 and met with much success during the 1930s. Called the “Weymouth Wizard” and the “Boston Bonecrusher,” Langford was known for his fierce punching style and for going the distance in matches.
He competed in both lightweight and heavyweight matches, fighting many tough-to-beat opponents.
Because of discriminatory practices, many white boxers and even Jack Johnson, a Black heavyweight champion, did not want to see Sam as an opponent, so he never had the chance to compete for a world boxing title. Despite this lack of formal recognition, many boxing critics saw Langford as one of the best of his era.