Steele, co-author of Tommie Smith’s autobiography, “Silent Gesture”, reflects on the 1968 Olympic protest, 50 years later.
On October 16th, 1968, Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their black gloved fists in the air on the medal stand after taking gold and bronze in the 200 meter final and the world went crazy. The two men were either shunned or supported, but their actions forced the conversation on civil rights onto the mainstream. 50 years later, we’re still talking about them, their actions and the reality of racism and social injustice that we still face in 2018.
Joining us to discuss the impact of these men is David Steele of The Sporting News, who is also the co-author of Tommie Smith’s autobiography, “Silent Gesture.” Steele clarifies many of the myths surrounding the aftermath of the protest and speaks to the mindset and impact of what these two men did on the biggest stage in sports in the world.
