February 21, 2021
By Anthony Lucido — Staff Writer
In the 1968 Summer Olympics, two american athletes stood in front of the world and delivered a powerful message. No words were spoken, only two fists silently raised in the air.
Today, the Wheaties cereal brand comes to commemorate and celebrate the legacy of one of those athletes, Tommie Smith.
John Poch, the Executive Director at San Jose Sports Authority, has had the privilege of interacting with Smith on a number of occasions.
“Smith is a man of principle, he’s a man of character, a man of faith, he represents everything good of a person with a competitive spirit pursuing their goals in life,” said Poch.
“Wheaties is honoring Smith for his activism, just as much as his athletic achievements.”
African-American track & field athletes, Smith and John Carlos, hailed from San Jose State University and competed for the United States in the 1968 Summer Olympics 200-meter race.
Smith won the 200-meter race taking first place and with Carlos taking third.
“It was remarkable what Smith and Carlos had achieved,” said Poch. “They and other athletes at the time really put San Jose on the map, we became the ‘Track & Field Mecca’ of the world.”
Together, the two athletes stood on the podium and during the U.S. national anthem rose their fists in protest of the racial injustice and racial inequality happening in America.
According to an interview Smith gave some time after the 1968 Summer Olympics, the right fist signified unity with the left representing the power in Black Americans.
Smith and Carlos were both suspended from the U.S. track & field team and were banned from the Olympic Village.
“They gave up everything they had, they gave up a lot trying to send a message,” said Poch.
The two faced ostracization in the aftermath, with critics claiming their political statements were unfit for a place like the Olympic Games.
“Sport and politics have always been intertwined with one another, and those who are trying to separate the two are revising history,” said Dr. Shaun Fletcher, an Assistant Professor for Public Relations & Sport Communications.
“Whether it was business or actual politics, sport has always had a say an an influence on how society moves forward, whether it serves as a blueprint or challenging our societal norms.”
Their message and their stand in the fight against racial inequality and racial injustice continue to ring true today in an America divided, where America has witnessed its deep scars of racism fester to a point at which we can no longer ignore.
Over the last year in 2020, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
For Assistant Track & Field Coach Sean Gwi, these movements go beyond just Black Americans.
“As an Asian-American, when I hear about Black Lives Matter I think about as if we’re all one big family and one of our siblings is hurting,” said Gwi.
“We have to acknowledge that they’re hurting and also need to help lift them up because these issues affect not just Blacks, but Asians, Hispanics, Whites, and really just everyone.”
Like Smith, athletes are using their positions in sports as a platform to speak out against these issues, such as Colin Kaepernick taking a knee during the national anthem in 2016 in protest of police brutality and racial injustice.
“I hope that one day like Smith, my athletes will realize they don’t have to rely on a captain or representative of the team to say what they want to say,” said Gwi. “They have more power than they realize to speak out and voice their opinions.”
Smith’s story continues to be both as relevant and impactful to this day, exuding the excellence fitting for someone to be commemorated on the Breakfast of Champions.
“Putting Smith’s image is not to simply sell cereal boxes,” said Dr. Fletcher.
“If it causes someone or some child to go and research Smith and Carlos in the 1968 Olympics, for them to know what happened then and what’s happening now, for them to see the action that can be taken and the courage to stand up for what they believe in, then that’s – that is the brilliance of him being honored on the cover.”
Comments