SI.com - Summer Olympics - Sculpture commemorates 1968 Olympic protest - Sunday October 16, 2005 11:32PM Paying tribute
Sculpture commemorates 1968 black power salute
Posted: Sunday October 16, 2005 11:32PM; Updated: Sunday October 16, 2005 11:32PM
LONDON (Reuters) -- A near 23-foot sculpture commemorating the 1968 Mexico City Olympics black power protest by Tommie Smith and John Carlos will be unveiled in San Jose State College on Monday.
Smith, who had won the 200 meters gold medal in world record time, and third-placed Carlos bowed their heads and raised one black-gloved hand each in the black power salute on the victory podium while The Star-Spangled Banner was played.
The pair, who had been team mates at the college, will be present at Monday's ceremony along with second-placed Australian Peter Norman.
Smith and Carlos say they were influenced in 1968 by a young sociologist friend Harry Edwards who asked them and other black American athletes to boycott the Games.
Edwards said the civil rights movement had not gone far enough to eliminate the injustices faced by blacks in the United States.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
1 comment:
Paying tribute
Sculpture commemorates 1968 black power salute
LONDON (Reuters) -- A near 23-foot sculpture commemorating the 1968 Mexico City Olympics black power protest by Tommie Smith and John Carlos will be unveiled in San Jose State College on Monday.
Smith, who had won the 200 meters gold medal in world record time, and third-placed Carlos bowed their heads and raised one black-gloved hand each in the black power salute on the victory podium while The Star-Spangled Banner was played.
The pair, who had been team mates at the college, will be present at Monday's ceremony along with second-placed Australian Peter Norman.
Smith and Carlos say they were influenced in 1968 by a young sociologist friend Harry Edwards who asked them and other black American athletes to boycott the Games.
Edwards said the civil rights movement had not gone far enough to eliminate the injustices faced by blacks in the United States.
Although the boycott never happened, Smith and Carlos joined Edwards's group, the Olympic Project for Human Rights, and planned a peaceful protest after the 200 meters final, which they were expected to dominate.
Smith said he had raised his right fist to represent black power while Carlos's left fist represented unity in black America. A black scarf around Smith's neck stood for black pride and their black socks with no shoes represented black poverty in the United States.
They bowed their heads because they believed the words of freedom in the U.S. anthem represented white Americans only and wore a badge representing the Olympic Project for Human Rights.
"We didn't come up there with any bombs," Carlos recalled. "We were trying to wake the country up and wake the world up too."
AUSTRALIAN INVOLVED
Silver medallist Norman heard about the plan as the trio prepared for the victory ceremony.
"They involved me in the conversation," he said. "It wasn't a secret huddle, they were letting me know.
"I said to John: 'You got another of those badges?' 'If I get one will you wear it?' he asked. 'I sure would,' I replied."
The International Olympic Committee were outraged, threatening to expel the U.S. team if Smith and Carlos were not sent home.
The U.S. Olympic Committee complied and the duo were sent home. On their return to the United States they were treated as outcasts and struggled to earn a living. Both their marriages broke up and Carlos's wife committed suicide.
"We were under tremendous economic stress," said Carlos. "I took any job I could find. We had four children and some night I would have to chop up our furniture and make a fire in the middle of the room."
Smith eventually found a job as a track coach and Carlos was hired by the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee to help promote the 1984 Games.
"I don't feel embraced," said Carlos. "I feel like a survivor. I was almost like we were on a deserted island. But we survived."
Norman is proud to have been associated with the protest. "It's a life-changing experience that is still held up, not just as a moment in sport but as a moment in American history," he said.
Copyright 2005 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
Post a Comment