Tommie Smith was the first athlete to run the 200m inside 20 seconds, but he’ll always be remembered instead for his clenched-fist black power salute on the medal podium at the 1968 Olympics.
Smith and fellow black American runner John Carlos wore black gloves and raised their fists during the medal ceremony at the Mexico City Games in a protest that electrified the world and became an iconic image for the civil rights movement.
Over 40 years later, Smith is in London ahead of this year’s Olympics to attend the first British showing Wednesday of a film that documents the protest.
‘ Salute ’ shows how gold medal winner Smith, Carlos and the third man on the podium, Australian Peter Norman, were shunned by their countries for the defiant statement.
