`68 Games And The Black Power Salute

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The 1968 summer Olympic Games were marred by controversy before they had even began. Tommie Smith and John Carols’ Black Power Salute. The 1968 Olympic Games were hosted in Mexico City. But in the United States, the civil rights movement was in full swing. African Americans were fighting racial discrimination. After winning the gold and bronze medals in the 200 meters, Smith and Carlos received their medals on the podium shoeless but wearing black socks to symbolize black poverty, black scarves to symbolize black pride, and a single black glove on a hand raised in salute. Both men received death threats after the act and were ostracized by the US sporting establishment. The Silent Protest Heard Around the World Sports have always served as a place where athletes can express their emotions and represent where they come from and who they are. The 1968 Olympic protests reflected the struggles of the civil rights movement and rose awareness about African American inferior feelings in the United States. The Olympic committee immediately condemned the US track stars for their actions, but this only led to more controversy surrounding the topic. Black power had recently been gaining popularity in the United States, and they had begun to develop an identity of their own, which made them a target of racial prejudice. Also around this time, the Olympic Project for Human Rights had been created, which opened the door for the runners to make their symbolic protest at the following Olympic games. The protests were successful according to some people and a failure to others, but it is undeniable that the action left its mark on history. Tommie Smith and John Carlos’s memorable protest was aimed to raise awareness about Black Power, which had become increasingly popular during the 60s. Blacks were developing an identity for themselves that would be a large part in
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