Johnson's physical dominance and defiant lifestyle cemented his status as a controversial archetype in American folklore.

To white America, Johnson was a nightmare. He became a legendary folk figure—the unapologetic rebel who refused to bow. He spent his money freely. He loved who he wanted. He smiled at his opponents while beating them. This defiance earned him deep love from Black communities and raw hatred from the establishment. The government eventually used the courts to break him, unable to tolerate a Black man who refused to know his place.