Fun fact, they were both planning to bring gloves and wear them on their right hands, but John Carlos forgot his. It was Peter Norman, the guy on the 2nd step of the podium, who suggested they share the pair that Tommie Smith brought. For that, Peter was ostracized back in Australia.
Not that any athletes will see this but it applies to everyone.
They got denounced a lot for doing this back home. The thing is this image and what they did it for lives on in our collective culture.
I honestly can’t recall the names of who denounced them or what they said. Those on the right side of history and progress get remembered. Those trying to hold humanity back or take us backwards fade.
Sure we’ll all remember Trump like we remember Stalin or Hitler. The right wing talking heads and lap dogs barking now will fade away over time.
Before the ceremony, Smith and Carlos asked Norman if he believed in racial equality. Norman said definitely. They asked him to wear a patch signifying this. Norman agreed. You can see it on their left side - a white patch.
This is why Norman was ostracized back in Australia. Successful Olympic athletes usually get money from speaking tours and other public events, but Norman wasn't invited to a single one and died in poverty.
shr1ke on February 19th, 2026 at 16:39 UTC »
Fun fact, they were both planning to bring gloves and wear them on their right hands, but John Carlos forgot his. It was Peter Norman, the guy on the 2nd step of the podium, who suggested they share the pair that Tommie Smith brought. For that, Peter was ostracized back in Australia.
Crabby_Monkey on February 19th, 2026 at 16:55 UTC »
Not that any athletes will see this but it applies to everyone.
They got denounced a lot for doing this back home. The thing is this image and what they did it for lives on in our collective culture.
I honestly can’t recall the names of who denounced them or what they said. Those on the right side of history and progress get remembered. Those trying to hold humanity back or take us backwards fade.
Sure we’ll all remember Trump like we remember Stalin or Hitler. The right wing talking heads and lap dogs barking now will fade away over time.
Keep standing up and keep speaking out.
HoraceBenbow on February 19th, 2026 at 17:02 UTC »
Before the ceremony, Smith and Carlos asked Norman if he believed in racial equality. Norman said definitely. They asked him to wear a patch signifying this. Norman agreed. You can see it on their left side - a white patch.
This is why Norman was ostracized back in Australia. Successful Olympic athletes usually get money from speaking tours and other public events, but Norman wasn't invited to a single one and died in poverty.