Since the first Summer Olympic Games of 1896, numerous controversies and scandals caused stirs in the sports event more often than one might think. Most involve sabotage between contestants, performance enhancing drugs, and banning of countries. However, there have been years wherein significant moments occurred both surrounding and during the date of the event. The protests of 1968, in particular, was the most meaningful and impactful because of the unified, traumatic, and even iconic protests that occurred in the entirety of the year. This includes Mass Movements from around the world, The Tlatelolco Massacre, and the Black Power or Olympic Human Rights Salute.
Early in the year, mass movements for the environment, evolved from the anti-nuclear …show more content…
They wanted to symbolize not only the struggle of sporting supremacy, but also the fight for civil liberties, an issue all over the world. Additionally, the recent assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. resulted to even more peaceful protests falling apart giving way to more violent civil rights groups, like The Black Panthers, to arise. They were kicked out of the Olympic village and suspended from the American squad. They also received much disapproval from the audience, and suffered through ostracism, death threats, and constant criticism. However, the movement has since been seen as " an incendiary act of protest by athletes…seared in history”. The 1968 Olympics Human Rights Salute recently celebrated its 50th anniversary proof of its standing effect for addressing a significant issue faced around the world, fighting for equality and giving tribute to forgotten individuals that were lynched, or killed, and for reminding each and every one of us what the unification of the Olympics truly mean.
Each of these events display the world coming together no matter the differences between them. Remembered, even today, as stories of unification, change, and injustices. 1968 was the most significant year because of the Mass Movements that occurred in many different countries, the Tlatelolco Massacre that killed peaceful protesters, and the iconic Black Power Salute. "Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.~ Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal."- Martin Luther King
Early in the year, mass movements for the environment, evolved from the anti-nuclear …show more content…
They wanted to symbolize not only the struggle of sporting supremacy, but also the fight for civil liberties, an issue all over the world. Additionally, the recent assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. resulted to even more peaceful protests falling apart giving way to more violent civil rights groups, like The Black Panthers, to arise. They were kicked out of the Olympic village and suspended from the American squad. They also received much disapproval from the audience, and suffered through ostracism, death threats, and constant criticism. However, the movement has since been seen as " an incendiary act of protest by athletes…seared in history”. The 1968 Olympics Human Rights Salute recently celebrated its 50th anniversary proof of its standing effect for addressing a significant issue faced around the world, fighting for equality and giving tribute to forgotten individuals that were lynched, or killed, and for reminding each and every one of us what the unification of the Olympics truly mean.
Each of these events display the world coming together no matter the differences between them. Remembered, even today, as stories of unification, change, and injustices. 1968 was the most significant year because of the Mass Movements that occurred in many different countries, the Tlatelolco Massacre that killed peaceful protesters, and the iconic Black Power Salute. "Change does not roll in on the wheels of inevitability, but comes through continuous struggle.~ Peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but a means by which we arrive at that goal."- Martin Luther King