WWE introduced the Legacy Wing to their Hall of Fame in 2016. The majority of inductees are from the late 1800s to the 1990s and inducted posthumously. It’s great these people get to be acknowledged, although there is some criticism about why some of the names included didn’t receive a full induction based on how significant their careers were, such as Jim Londos, Lou Thesz, and El Santo.
This past Tuesday, WWE induced another ten names, and among them was Ethel Johnson, who at just 16-years-old became the first African-American women wrestler. Her career began in 1952 and lasted twenty-three years, and she’d win the NWA World Women’s Tag Team Championship with June Byers. WWE would feature her in an induction video and noted her dropkick. However, it’s now been brought to light that the footage shown wasn’t actually her.
This was first called out by unhappy Twitter user @missezrenee, who says she is Johnson’s niece and was verified by Dave Meltzer on his Wrestling Observer Radio show. You can watch the excerpt of her induction video below, and upon further inspection, it appears they’ve used footage of Sandy Parker, who debuted 15 years after Johnson.
WWE have now deleted the tweet and made the video private on YouTube, so are aware of their mistake. Although as of writing, the incorrect footage remains on the WWE Network. Perhaps WWE will begin speaking with inductee’s families to help avoid issues like this in the future. As Bruiser Brody’s widow has previously stated, she wasn’t made aware of his induction until the day of the ceremony.
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