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List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. By Christopher Minster Christopher Minster. Christopher Minster, Ph. Learn about our Editorial Process. Featured Video. Cite this Article Format. Minster, Christopher. Mexico City: The Summer Olympics. History of the Olympics in Los Angeles. History of the Olympics in Rome, Italy. History of the Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. Cities and the Quest to Host the Olympics Games. History of the Olympics in Paris. Racial Controversies and the Olympic Games.
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All over the world people were taking to the streets in protest. In France student riots almost toppled the government. In Czechoslovakia the situation was even more serious as Soviet troops and tanks rolled into Prague to crush anti-Russian uprisings.
Then, in Mexico City itself, just 10 days before the opening ceremony troops opened fire on demonstrators in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas, killing people and injuring hundreds more. But if the race left the spectators roaring their approval, the medal ceremony had the powers that be baying for blood.
It remains one of the most vivid Olympic images — a picture once seen, never forgotten. It was a courageous, non-violent protest, benign but impassioned dissent. They meant to bring further attention to civil rights issues, to give pride to African-Americans, and they succeeded. But the reaction was as swift as it was negative. In the US there was outrage from many white Americans.
People saw heads bowed as disrespectful towards the American flag. They mistakenly saw the clenched fists as supportive of the Black Panthers. The outspoken Carlos made the kind of comments that only inflamed the establishment. The pair were immediately suspended and evicted from the Olympic Village.
But they still had their medals and they had made their point. The rarefied atmosphere of Mexico City also helped another black American athlete make his mark on Olympic history. Bob Beamon leapt into the record books with his incredible long jump of 8. Many new records were set in the short distance sprint events due to the altitude, but the Games were a nightmare were a nightmare for endurance competitors who had failed to adjust to it.
As the American athletes raised their fists, the stadium hushed, then burst into racist sneers and angry insults. Smith and Carlos were rushed from the stadium, suspended by the U. They went home to the United States, only to face serious backlash, including death threats. However, Carlos and Smith were both gradually re-accepted into the Olympic fold, and went on to careers in professional football before retiring.
Norman, meanwhile, was punished severely by the Australian sports establishment. Though he qualified for the Olympic team over and over again, posting the fastest times by far in Australia, he was snubbed by the team in Rather than allow Norman to compete, the Australians did not send a sprinter at all. Peter Norman at Williamstown Beach, Australia, Norman immediately retired from the sport and began to suffer from depression, alcoholism and a painkiller addiction. Norman died without being acknowledged for his contributions to the sport.
Though he kept his silver medal, he was regularly excluded from events related to the sport. Even when the Olympics came to Sydney in , he was not recognized. It took until for the Australian government to apologize for the treatment Norman received in his home country. But even though it cost him his career and much of his happiness, Norman would have done it over again. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us!
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