Olympic Games: The history behind the Black Power Salute

We look at the cultural and political history of the act of resistance that was the iconic Black Power Salute in the 1968 Mexico Summer Olympic Games.

America’s gold and bronze medallists Tommie Smith (Centre) and John Carlos (right) write an unusual note into Olympic Games history with a “Black Power” gesture during the 1968 award ceremony. | Photo Credit: The Hindu

Sports have always been a space for an individual to express themselves. In modern times, we have seen athletes using the big stage of global sports for both personal and political expression. From Kylian Mbappe to Muhammad Ali, several great athletes have used sporting stages for the greater good of society. 

The iconic stage of the Olympic Games has also witnessed its share of politically important incidents. One of them is the act of resistance that was the Black Power Salute at the 1968 Mexico Summer Games, months after the assassination of the great American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr.

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Moments after breaking the 200-metre world record to win gold, African-American athletes Tommie Smith and his U.S. teammate John Carlos, who won the bronze medal, took a restrained stand on the podium, also receiving support from their Australian rival, Peter Norman. The image of the three athletes on the podium would go on to spark international outrage soon after and go down in history as one of the most powerful visuals of protest. 

Smith and Carlos stood on the stage shoe-less with black socks to represent their community’s poverty on the podium before doing the ‘Black Power Salute’, which has been a historic symbol for African-American rights activists, on their own terms. As the US national anthem played in the Olympic Stadium in Mexico City, Smith and Carlos lowered their heads with a black-gloved fist raised to the skies while facing their national flag. 

The repercussions of this action were quite heavy on Smith and Carlos, as they were suspended from the US Team and the Olympics Village after a threat put on the entire US contingent by the then American IOC president, Avery Brundage. The athletes had to face heavy abuse and criticism on their return to the U.S., which eventually resulted in them having to end their track and field careers to brief stints in professional football before settling in academic avenues.

But this act of unified resistance by the three athletes succeeded in giving worldwide attention to the civil rights issues in the USA and creating widespread discussion about the rights of minorities in America. Smith and Carlos were present as pallbearers at Norman’s funeral, 38 years later, before the world around them caught up to admire the trio’s bond in a moment that was more important than sports.