Campus celebrates Olympian runners
Tommie Smith, John Carlos honored
Jovanni Colisao
Issue date: 10/16/07 Section: News
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After they received their medals the two Olympians climbed onto the podium and used the ceremony to protest for the restoration of Muhammad Ali's title and his right to box, said Urla Hill, guest curator of History San Jose.
Smith and Carlos also wanted to have Avery Brundage, the chairman of the International Olympic Committee removed because they said he was a racist against Jews and blacks Hill said.
In addition to other protests that called for equal opportunities for blacks, they wanted at least two black coaches to be named to coach the men's track and field team for the 1968 Olympics and the appointment of at least two black people to policy-making positions on the United States Olympic committee.
There are still many numerous misconceptions on what the protest actually meant.
Hill said the beads John Carlos wore stood for lynching and the olive branch in Tommie Smith's hand stood for peace.
And by not wearing shoes, Hill said Smith and Carlos symbolized poverty in black America.
The clenched fists were another important symbol, Hill said.
"Tommie had his right fist up, which stood for power and Carlos had his left fist up, which stood for unity, which formed an arc of unity and power," Hill said.
Their bowed heads symbolized fallen warriors, which were Martin Luther King Jr., and Bobby Kennedy, Hill said.
Oct. 17, 2005, will mark the date the Smith-Carlos statues were erected.
One student found the statues meaningful to him.
"By them throwing up the black power sign is uplifting not only for African Americans on campus, but all people in general," said Justus Abhuliner, a junior mechanical engineer major.
Denise Pasquale, Tommie Smith's first wife, said she met him while attending SJSU.
Pasquale said she flew to Mexico City for the Olympics, and before the race Smith told her to go buy a pair of black gloves.
Pasquale said that Smith's statement was not intentionally planed or else he would have told Pasquale to buy more than just one pair of gloves.
"If he had really thought about what he was going to do, he would have told me to buy two pairs of gloves," Pasquale said.
Pasquale said that she was proud of Smith especially after his amazing performance at the Olympics.
 A scanned image of the Spartan Daily from Oct. 23, 1968, in which Tommie Smith and John Carlos speak to SJSU following their return from the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. |
"Tommie ran like no other athlete has ever run," she said.
The aftermath of the protest had a huge impact on the families of Smith and Carlos.
Because of the repercussions of the statement, John Carlos' wife committed suicide, Hill said.
Hill said that Smith and Carlos did not get their medals taken away like some still believe because she said she held John Carlos' medal in her hand, while she was at his house, and Tommie's medal went up for sale on the Internet for $400,000 during the late '90s.
The anniversary ceremony will take place in the sculpture garden from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
Associated Students will be hosting the viewing of a documentary of Carlos and Smith titled, "Fists of Freedom" from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday night in the Fireside Room of the Student Union.
The event will feature African drumming and members of A.S. will speak at the event.
"The statues give a message to students now and the future," said Maribel Martinez, program coordinator of Cesar E. Chavez Community Action Center, who put the event together.
There will also be time for students to say what they stand for as a member of the community by writing on small flags that will be displayed around the statue throughout the week, Martinez said.
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posted 6/22/09 @ 5:08 AM PST
Their bowed heads symbolized fallen warriors, which were Martin Luther King Jr., and Bobby Kennedy. I agree with these words.
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