The 1968 Olympics Black Power salute was a noted black nationalist protest and one of the most overtly political statements in the 110 year history of the modern Olympic Games. African American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos performed their Power to the People salute at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
… American athlete Smith won the 200 metre race race in a then-world-record time of 19.83 seconds, with Australia’s Peter Norman second with a time of 20.06 seconds, and American Carlos in third place with a time of 20.10 seconds. After the race was completed, the three went to collect their medals at the podium. The two American athletes received their medals shoeless, but wearing black socks, to represent black poverty. Smith wore a black scarf around his neck to represent black pride. Carlos wore beads which he described “were for those individuals that were lynched, or killed that no-one said a prayer for, that were hung and tarred. It was for those thrown off the side of the boats in the middle passage.” All three athletes wore Olympic Project for Human Rights (OPHR) badges, after Norman expressed sympathy with their ideals. …
Carlos had forgotten his black gloves, but Norman suggested that they share Smith’s pair, with Smith wearing the right glove and Carlos the left. When “The Star-Spangled Banner” played, Smith and Carlos delivered the salute with heads bowed, a gesture which became front page news around the world. As they left the podium they were booed by the crowd. …
what happened to these men? – find out on Wikipedia
And what do the historic protesters think about Beijing?
Tommie Smith and John Carlos warn of the price of protest – Times Online
People at the top are worried something similar will happen in 2008:
In a letter to national federations, the IOC decreed that all athletes must refrain from clothing, gestures and written or oral statements that demonstrate “political, religious or racial propaganda” at Olympic venues. The missive did not outline punishment guidelines for infractions. …
At Olympics, silence is not golden – Mercury News
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