40th Anniversary of Olympic Silent Protest

It is now 40 years since Tommie Smith and John Carlos struck possibly the most political stance in the history of the modern Olympics Games - the Black Power salute.

"Athletes have a responsibility to speak because they are in a position to make a difference and they have a responsibility to make that difference. That is a truth which remains to this day," he said.

On October 16 1968, Smith clocked a world record 19.83 seconds to take the 200 metres crown ahead of Australia's Peter Norman and his US team-mate Carlos, who won bronze.

With the eyes of the world watching, the US athletes took their moment on the medal podium to make a stand against US racial discrimination.

Smith and Carlos, both shoeless, bowed their heads and raised a gloved fist as The Star Spangled Banner played.

I recorded this to use in my middle school classroom, so the copyright is not mine to distribute. Please do not distribute without permission of ESPN. Please enjoy and use appropriately.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Documentary
• Olympics
• Tommie
• Smith
• John
• Carlos
• Silent
• Protest

[kissmyARToxo]

Peter Norman supported them. He also opposed the white Australia policy.

[stylenstine]

heroes.

[dewek13]

@Czerniakowska I think they only had one pair of gloves so each raised the fist with the glove.

[soulchild3751]

Ball of Confusion, a perfectly accurate melody to help characterize the sign of the times.

[Czerniakowska]

Smith and Carlos were, I think, protesting against racism in the US, not racism per se, so were the Olympics an appropriate event for such action? They were courageous and sincere without doubt but the 'black power' connotations of their salute may actually have been inimical to their cause at that time, aligning them more closely with Malcolm X than Martin Luther King in public perception. Sometimes, though, we just have to take our chances as they arise and hope that history treats us kindly.

[Jmb22083]

Oh okay, I understand what you are saying. I wasn't even born when the event occurred. My mother was 8 years old at that time. When I was 14 or 15 years old, I read the chronicle that my mother has; it has everything from 1900 to 1987. I must tell you, I was speechless when I was saw a photo of the three men standing in the victory dais, and Smith and Carlos were raising their fists. I was sadden by what the three went through afterwards. I have a profound respect for all three courageous men.

[Czerniakowska]

I didn't say I didn't believe you. I was merely probing to ensure that the facts were clearer to me. You can't remove nationalism and patriotic fervour from the Olympics, much as I would personally wish to, and it's often difficult to reconcile some aspects of issues. I'm not American, so I'm in no position to judge how the US public might have felt about such a protest taking place before their national flag and during tyhe playing of their national anthem.

[Jmb22083]

The three men were ostracized by their country for awhile. The Australian team had nothing to do with Norman's decision. Carlos only brought one pair of gloves; Smith wore the right glove and Carlos wore the left glove. I watched documentaries and read the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper online about Norman's funeral information. The IOC didn't give Norman the recognition at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, even though he was there. If you don't believe me or anybody, then please do your own research.

[Czerniakowska]

If what you say is true, I'm reassured, at least up to the point of wondering what Smith and Carlos would have done had Norman and/or the Australian team committee in fact raised some objection. Incidentally,why did Carlos raise his left fist and not his right?

[Jmb22083]

Czerniakowska, yes Norman had a prior knowledge of what was to take place. Carlos and Smith asked Norman if he believed in human rights and God; Norman said yes to both questions. They told Norman what they were going to do. Norman told them that he will stand with them regardless. Norman wore the Olympic Project for Human Rights badge. Carlos and Smith were Norman's friends until he passed away. Carlos and Smith came to Australlia to give eulogies and to bury Norman.

[Czerniakowska]

Are you saying that Norman had prior knowledge of what was to take place? My understanding is that he did not. My guess is that if Smith and Carlos had consulted him beforehand and he had expressed disagreement with what they proposed to do, they would still have gone ahead and done it. A more respectful (to Norman) form of protest would have been for the two US athletes simply to have refused to wear their national tracksuits during the ceremony.