The 1968 summer olympics were held in Mexico City. There had been talk before the olympics among Black athletes about not participating. Black athletes were weary of being put on display before the world and being treated as second class citizens at home. At this time there were few to no endorsements. If there was money to be made, Blacks were not on the receiving end..However Blacks decided to participate and went on to Mexico City.
A lot happened during 1968. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were killed. Vietnam was becoming more unpopular and people were speaking out louder than ever. There was a lot of campus unrest addressing issues at home and abroad. President Lydon Bynes Johnson had thrown in the towel and chose not to seek re-election. There had been a poor people's march on Washington that was led by Rev. Ralph Abernathy.( Hunger, poverty and discimination were discussed with legislators).
Even after arriving in Mexico City, athletes whispered about different ways to protest without causing incidents. Two athletes had something in mind and after they ran and placed
first and third in the 200 meters, Tommie Smith (Smith had set a world record) and John Carlos shocked the world with a silent protest. They stood on the winners platform in their stocking feet, bowed heads and raised fist, wearing a black glove. The two athletes gave a Black Power salute as the national athem played. This demonstrated to the world that all was not well in the US. Black athletes were tired of the treatment they received at home. "White America will only give us credit for an Olympic victory," said Smith however, "they'll say I'm an American, but if I did something bad, they'd say a Negro."
The silent protest upset many. The Olympic committee gave the two athletes 48 hours to leave the games. There were more protests but on smaller scales; some athletes wore black socks. George Foreman carried a small Olympic flag around after winning his fight with Ionas Chepulis. The two brave athletes had helped the American team win 45 medals and the Soviets won 30.
by Tallulah Dancier
