McCain seeking pardon for deceased boxer

I thought this was a pretty interesting story.

Sen. John McCain is seeking a posthumous pardon for Jack Johnson, America's first African-American heavyweight boxing champion who died in 1946. 

In 1913, Johnson was convicted of violating the Mann Act, which stated that women could not be transported across state-lines for immoral purposes. Johnson had a relationship with a white woman at the time--a woman whom he later married. 

Johnson fled the United States, but came back to serve a 10-month sentence. He was never able to regain his title.

Although posthumous Presidential pardons are rare, McCain and other supporters say that this will heal old wounds and send an important message to the sporting world.

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., said a pardon would "remove a cloud that's been over the American sporting scene ever since [Johnson] was convicted on these trumped-up charges."

This request for a pardon has been shot-down by Congress twice before, in 2004 and again last year.

But McCain and King both said that the pardon would carry important symbolism coming from Obama, and that it would show U.S. progress over the last century.

What do you guys think? 

*photo: Britannica.com; Britannica Blog