Why Black American athletes raised their fists at Mexico’s 1968 Olympics

Fists raised as the American anthem played

Solidarity with the US civil rights movement

The gesture resulted in the expulsion of Smith and Carlos

The students wanted to take advantage of the Olympics

They opened fire during a peaceful protest

There were no gestures of protest for Tlatelolco in the olympics

“No Olympics are worth the life of a student”

Mexico 1968: memorable Olympics

The 1968 Olympic Games, held in Mexico City, were characterized more by the social injustices of the time rather than by sports. And they were particularly notable for a ‘Black Power’ gesture that would inspire future generations.

Fists raised as the American anthem played

After winning the gold and bronze medals in the 200-meter race, African-Americans Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised one fist, wearing a black glove each while the United States national anthem was playing. They also wore black socks with no shoes.

A human rights pin

Both the African-American athletes, and Peter Norman, the Australian who won the silver medal and stood on the podium with them, wore a pin that said “human rights.”

Photo: graffiti from the emblematic moment in Melbourne, Australia.

Solidarity with the US civil rights movement

The gesture was seen as an act of solidarity with the African-American civil rights movement in the United States, as well as a protest against racism and discrimination.

The gesture resulted in the expulsion of Smith and Carlos

The protest, however, resulted in the expulsion of Smith and Carlos from the Olympics two days later.

Black berets on the podium

That then led to another protest by their fellow athletes who wore black berets on the podium, another of the symbols of the 'Black Power' movement.

Icons of 'black power'

Both gestures: the black-gloved fist, as well as the black beret, became a cultural and political icon of 'black power'.

Raised fist against injustice

Furthermore, the raised fist gesture has been imitated in many other demonstrations against injustice and oppression, including, of course, the Black Lives Matter movement.

The first time a woman held the torch

The 1968 Olympic Games were also the first time in modern history that a woman held the torch, maybe in an attempt to show that Mexico was progressive, but nothing could be farther from the truth…

A massacre occurred 10 days before

Just ten days before the inauguration of the Olympics, on October 2, 1968, the so-called Tlatelolco massacre occurred, where more than 300 people were murdered by the Mexican military under the order of then-president Gustavo Díaz Ordaz.

Student movement of 1968

As in many other countries, a student movement had formed in Mexico protesting an authoritarian government that repressed political dissent.

The students wanted to take advantage of the Olympics

The students involved in the movement wanted to take advantage of the international event so that their protest could be heard around the world.

They opened fire during a peaceful protest

The Mexican authorities, on the other hand, feared the proximity of the event and decided to order the army to open fire on the students while they were peacefully protesting in Plaza de las Tres Culturas in Tlatelolco (Mexico City).

The 'Olimpia battalion'

Years later, it was learned that in addition to the army, the so-called “Olympia battalion” was involved, a secret branch of the government made for the security of the Olympic Games, composed of soldiers, police officers and federal security agents.

There were no gestures of protest for Tlatelolco in the olympics

Mexican and foreign athletes later claimed not to know about the killing of students. But, although there were no major gestures of protest related to the massacre during the Olympics, Mexican writer Elena Poniatowska says in her book 'The Night of Tlatelolco' that an Italian athlete expressed anger at what had happened.

“No Olympics are worth the life of a student”

In her non-fiction book, Poniatowska quotes the athlete as saying: “If they are killing students so that the Olympics can take place, it would be better if they were cancelled, since no Olympics are worth the life of a student.”

October 2 won’t be forgotten

For the whole world, those were the Olympics of Black Power. For Mexicans, despite having won nine medals, being the Olympic Games in which the country has stood out the most, the year 1968 will forever be marked by the Tlatelolco massacre.

Photo: Protest of the 50th anniversary of the Tlatelolco massacre.