On October 16, 1968, during the medal ceremony for the men's 200-meter race at the Summer Olympics in Mexico City, two American athletes, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, made history with their iconic protest against racial injustice.
Smith had won the gold medal in the 200-meter race, setting a new world record with a time of 19.83 seconds. Australia's Peter Norman claimed the silver, while Carlos took the bronze. As the three athletes stood on the podium, Smith and Carlos, who were both African American, bowed their heads and raised their black-gloved fists in the air during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner."
Their gesture, known as the "Black Power salute," was a symbol of their solidarity with the ongoing struggle for civil rights and racial equality in the United States. Smith and Carlos were members of the Olympic Project for Human Rights, an organization that advocated for racial justice in sports.
The protest was met with immediate backlash from the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which deemed it a violation of the Olympic spirit. Under pressure from the IOC, the U.S. Olympic Committee suspended Smith and Carlos from the national team and banned them from the Olympic Village.
Despite the consequences they faced, Smith and Carlos's courageous act became one of the most enduring images of the civil rights movement and remains a powerful symbol of resistance against racial oppression. Their protest inspired generations of athletes to use their platforms to advocate for social justice causes.
Interestingly, the silver medalist, Peter Norman, also wore an Olympic Project for Human Rights badge in solidarity with Smith and Carlos. Norman, a white Australian, faced discrimination and ostracism in his home country for his support of the protest. It wasn't until 2012, six years after his death, that the Australian Parliament issued a formal apology to Norman for his treatment.
The legacy of Smith, Carlos, and Norman's protest continues to resonate in the world of sports and beyond, reminding us of the power of individual actions to challenge systemic injustice and inspire change.
