Tommie Smith Research Paper

Title: Would you have the courage to stand up in front of the whole world for something you believe in? Would you do it even if you knew it would have consequences? That's exactly what Tommie Smith and his teammates did. They knew they needed to stand up for Black rights while they had an audience to make a difference, and that's exactly what they did. That is how Tommie Smith made a positive impact on society. During Tommie's childhood, Tommie experienced racism, segregation, and was often treated differently because of the color of his skin. Tommie was at a young age when he realized he had a talent for track. He has always been dedicated to his sport and as he grew older he knew he could make an impact. Tommie Smith was born on June 6th, 1944 in …show more content…
I needed a movement” (The timeless appeal of Smith). Smith called his pose a “cry for freedom”. Smith talked about how his protest wasn't about the flag. He said “I'm proud of that flag because we made it our flag” (The timeless appeal of Smith). After the Olympics Tommie Smith graduated and played pro football for the Cincinnati Bengals for 3 years (Tommie Smith American Athlete). He later became a track coach at Oberlin Ohio College, where he also taught sociology (Tommie Smith American Athlete). Tommie was inducted into the U.S. National Track and Field Hall of Fame. (Tommy Smith American Athlete). He also wrote an autobiography about his experiences called “Silent Gesture” (The timeless appeal of Smith). Imagine you were there the day Tommie ran in the Olympics. The excitement you would have felt seeing Tommie Smith beating everybody. The moment he won the race. The energy that would have been in the air as he crossed the finish line. Then imagine when Tommie goes up to be awarded his gold medal that he worked so hard to win. I can only imagine how Tommie was feeling walking up to get his medal knowing he was about to do it. Was he excited to be there? Nervous? Or a snort?