John Carlos & Tommy Smith Re: Star Spangled Banner

Yoshie Furuhashi furuhashi.1 at osu.edu
Tue Jun 4 00:40:52 PDT 2002



> >>Well, I don't go in for that stuff either, but after all, Jimi Henmdrix
>>>played the Star Spangled Banner. It's not just an ironic deconstruction.
>>>It's also a tribute to possibility.
>>
>>He sure did, but what makes you think that the "possibility" it pays
>>tribute to is specifically American?
>>
>>Joanna
>
>What do you mean by specifically and what do you mean by American?
>I like the photo from the '68 Olympics where the two black dudes are
>doing the black power salute. What do you and Yoshie think that's saying?
>I think it's pretty cool even though I'm an internationalist and have problems
>with certain strains of black nationalism.
>
>Peter

John Carlos explains the failure to organize a boycott thus:

***** Prior to the 1968 Olympic games in Mexico City, many politicians in the U.S. came together to put down the civil rights movement by blacks. There was a great deal of speculation in the track and field world that black athletes would unite and boycott the 1968 games. However, after much discussion, athletes felt that winning a medal was far more important to themselves and their families than to stage a boycott. They felt that they had worked too hard to give up an opportunity to seek the various Olympic medals.

These attitudes effectively ended any chance of an Olympic boycott and was to the joy and relief of international and U.S. Olympic Committees. Tommy and I didn't share the feelings about winning medals held by many of the other athletes, and the rest is history.

<http://www.johncarlos.com/> *****

Failing to organize a boycott, Carlos and Tommy Smith, together with white Australian Peter Norman, staged a symbolic protest; Carlos & Smith raised their fists in a black power salute, wearing no shoes, refusing to look at the American flag, and Norman wore a button symbolizing protest against racism:

***** This resulted in both men [Carlos and Smith] being suspended by the American Olympic Committee and being ordered to leave Mexico City. When the two men returned to America, they were greeted as heroes by the African-American community and as unpatriotic troublemakers by others. In fact, both men suffered threats against their lives. <http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/Mexico_1968.htm> ***** -- Yoshie

* Calendar of Events in Columbus: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/calendar.html> * Anti-War Activist Resources: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/activist.html> * Student International Forum: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/> * Committee for Justice in Palestine: <http://www.osu.edu/students/CJP/>



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