Native American Radicalism

During a time when black people in America were fighting against racial discrimination, Tommie Smith and John Carlos took a stand that many viewed as black power radicalism. While standing on the 1968 Mexico City Olympic podium, during the National Anthem, the two men quietly bowed their heads and each raised their black glove colored fist. Immediately, this action raised awareness towards black rights. By the time of the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, the United States had gone through years of upheaval and anger. The country was embroiled in the very unpopular Viet Nam War and on average 100 American soldiers were dying every week. The policies of the war were so unpopular that the sitting American president, Lyndon Johnson, had announced that he would not seek re-election (McLaughlin, 2014). Johnson became president upon …show more content…
Both joined teams in the National Football League and had minimal success. Both went on the careers that included, among other things, coaching track and field. Both had successful lives and in time have been honored multiple times including receiving the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the 2008 ESPY Awards. A 22-foot high statue of the two athletes in their famous stance is located on the campus of San Jose State University where they were teammates prior to the Olympics. On the statue, Peter Norman’s second place platform was left empty so that the person viewing the statue can stand with Smith and Carlos.
In 2006, Peter Norman died. Smith and Carlos never forgot the courage of their old friend who was criticized in the Australian media and was left off the 1972 Australian Olympic team in spite of having a faster qualifying time than others who took his place. When news of Norman’s death reached them, Tommie Smith and John Carlos flew to Australia to serve as pallbearers for the man who had stood in sympathy with their