Why did black American athletes raise their fists at the 1968 Olympic Games?

196865438+ 10 16, at the Olympic Games awarding ceremony held in Mexico City, African-American sprinters tommy smith and john carlos wore beads and scarves to fight against lynching, black socks and shoes to highlight poverty, and boarded the podium, winning the gold medal and bronze medal in the 200-meter race respectively. But it was just an accessory-a black glove-and an accompanying gesture-a fist raised under the Stars and Stripes-which triggered the mysterious * * *. From that moment on, these two athletes will be slandered, threatened and even celebrated in some circles.

Over the years, the use of the Olympic awards ceremony to support oppressed blacks around the world has influenced Smith and Carlos' professional and personal lives. Men's gestures on the podium, which are widely regarded as "homage to black power", are by no means random. On the contrary, historians believe that this is a direct product of the political climate in the late 1960s.

/kloc-the events of the 1960 s inspired more urgent activism.

Aspect: 1968 Chicago Democratic National Convention riots.

1968, US Senator Robert Kennedy was assassinated. Civil strife caused by Kim's murder and racial injustice spread to many cities. The Vietnam War activities inside and outside the university campus are also spread all over the country. Police violence against these people, especially at 1968 Chicago Democratic National Convention, made international headlines. ?

Although Martin Luther King always preached the message of non-violence before his death, his assassination and the widespread atrocities of the police convinced young activists that radical political methods would serve them better.

"In the rise of black power, we see that athletes have established a very necessary connection with what they face in sports and what they face in society, and understand that athletes have a platform they can use," said Amy Bass, a professor and author of physical education at Will College in Manhattan. 1968 Olympic Games is not a victory, but a struggle. "The spotlight they have is a rare spotlight for black men in 1968. Therefore, it is a one-in-a-million chance to have a peaceful and meaningful global * * *. "

Olympic human rights project

Smith and Carlos, students of San Jose State University, were keenly aware of the political problems at that time and the oppression faced by marginalized groups. Harry Edwards, a sociology professor at San Jose State University, founded the Olympic Human Rights Project, which included Smith and Carlos as * * *. The project focuses on the welfare of black people around the world and advocates black athletes. Specifically, they tried to hire black coaches and banned South Africa and (now) Zimbabwe from participating in the Olympic Games because of their apartheid.

Mark S. Dyson, a professor of kinematics and affiliated history at Pennsylvania State University, said: "Edwards described himself as the founder of black athletes who created * * * in American history and the world." "He stood on the shoulders of Jackie Robinson, Mal whitfield and jesse owens, and there were many forgotten athletes."

According to Dyson, Edwards believes that the older generation of athletes like Robinson did not strive to achieve racial equality on the field. This ignores Robinson's efforts in supporting the American civil rights movement and opposing apartheid in South Africa. "On and off the court, black sports radicalism has a longer history," Dyreson added. Smith and Carlos benefited from the radicalism of their former athletes. For example, in the early 20th century, track and field was abolished in many university campuses and other environments.

Those involved in the Olympic human rights project, including Smith and Carlos, all consider the Olympic Games. Although Lou Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) chose not to attend the event, Smith and Carlos chose to attend, partly because of the opportunity to solve their human rights problems in front of thousands of audiences.

"They want to restore Ali's title as a boxing champion because he is a conscientious objector in Vietnam," Bass said. "They asked black coaches to join the US Olympic team, they asked black members to join the International Olympic Committee, and they threatened to * * *, but most of them did go. They voted for everything alone."

In addition to treating African-Americans around the world better, Smith and Carlos also expressed serious concern about the events that took place 10 days before the opening of the Summer Olympic Games. 1968 10 10 On February 2, Mexican army and police opened fire on a group of unarmed students, killing as many as 300 young people (the official death toll is still unknown). This incident, coupled with their concern for human rights, influenced the two men to make political statements at the Olympic Games.

After winning the gold and bronze medals in the 200-meter race (a white Australian athlete named Peter Norman won the silver medal), they walked onto the podium wearing symbolic beads, scarves, socks and gloves. Carlos covered the word "America" on his uniform with a black T-shirt to "reflect my shame". I think my country is developing at a snail's pace in the obvious direction of all good people, "he later explained." His book The Story of john carlos: A Sports Moment that Changed the World. The two men also wore badges of the Olympic human rights program, and so did Norman. He asked him how to support their cause.

Sharing a pair of gloves-Smith wears gloves in his right hand and Carlos wears gloves in his left hand-black Olympians raise their fists at the beginning of The Stars and Stripes.

"The stadium became unusually quiet," Carlos recalled in his memoirs. "... it's terrible to hear 50 thousand people fall silent, just like in a hurricane. "He remembered that some spectators booed them, others despised them and shouted the national anthem at them. He wrote: "They screamed that it was not like the national anthem, but a barbaric armed appeal."

Smith and Carlos were affected.

Bass pointed out that since the 1968 Olympic Games marked the first time that the Olympic Games were broadcast on the American network, the report of this gesture was magnified in the United States. "This is a big deal," she said. "Before that, you have some 15 minute updates. .. and all of a sudden, you get 44 hours of coverage. So, about 400 million pairs of eyes are staring at Smith and Carlos. This is the power of the media after World War II. "

For peace, Smith and Carlos were suspended by the US Olympic team and forced to leave the Olympic Village. When they returned to America, death threats were waiting for them. Douglas Hartmann, the author of "Race, Culture and Rebellion of Black Athletes: 1968 Olympic Games and Its Consequences", believes that their political statements have cost them a lot.

"Most Americans think they are traitors, villains, or at least non-Americans and unpatriotic," Hartman said. For Smith, who was in the ROTC at that time, "that was the end of his military ambition. Both of them have experienced great personal challenges. Their marriage broke up. Carlos has been unable to find a job for many years. "

The couple became NFL stars briefly. Smith played for Cincinnati Tigers for three seasons, Carlos played for philadelphia eagles for one season, and the other played for the Canadian Rugby League. Carlos continued to serve as the community liaison for 1984 Los Angeles Summer Olympics.

They also work in educational institutions. From 65438 to 0972, Smith worked as a track and field coach at Oberlin College, an academic institution famous for its racial progress. After Oberlin, Smith taught sociology and directed cross-country and track and field sports at Santa Monica College near Los Angeles. Carlos is a counselor at Palm Springs High School in Southern California.

In the past few decades, Smith was careful not to describe his and Carlos' gesture of paying tribute to black power. On the contrary, Smith said that this behavior "represents the community and strength of black Americans", Hartman said. "He doesn't want to be seen as a radical. He is more like a traditional American individualist. You know, he is going to join the army. He is a patriot. He believes that we need to make many changes to race, but this is not necessarily from a radical political perspective. "

President Obama pays tribute to Smith and Carlos.

In 2008, 40 years after they raised their fists at the Olympic medal ceremony, Smith and john carlos won the arthur ashe Prize for Courage. Eight years later, then President barack obama recognized them at a White House ceremony. ?

"Their strong silence at the 1968 Olympic Games caused controversy, but it awakened people and created more opportunities for later generations," Obama said of Smith and Carlos, who were asked to be ambassadors of the US Olympic Committee for 20 16 years.

Their behavior is regarded as one of the most political behaviors in the history of modern Olympic Games. However, Smith said in the HBO documentary Fist of Freedom: The Story of the 68 Summer Olympic Games that this behavior does not symbolize hatred for the American flag, but recognition of it.

Edward Widdemer, a professor and historian at Macquarie Honorary College of City University of new york, said that this made the American leadership feel embarrassed. "This really reminds the world that the United States, which advocates human rights and democracy, is not always so tough on human rights issues in its own country." However, Widdemer added, "Obviously, this is actually a very patriotic gesture. [Smith and Carlos] hope that the United States will become better and serve everyone, so they call on the United States to become a better country. "

Smith described the raised fist as "a cry for freedom and human rights" and added, "We must be seen because we can't hear."