For others with a similar name, see Tommy Smith.

Tommie Smith (born June 6, 1944 in Clarksville, Texas) is an American former track & field athlete and professional football player. Smith was the winner of the 200-meter dash at the 1968 Summer Olympics. Athletics has been contested at every Summer Olympics since the birth of the modern Olympic movement at the 1896 Summer Olympics. ... The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were held in Mexico City in 1968. ... Athletics Medal Winners at the 1968 Munich Olympics See also Olympic Games Summer Olympic Games 1976 Summer Olympics Categories: | | | ... Tommy Smith (born Liverpool, England, 5th April 1945) was a long-serving footballer with Liverpool, known for his uncompromising defensive style. ... is the 157th day of the year (158th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Clarksville is a city located in Red River County, Texas. ... Athletics, also known as track and field or track and field athletics, is a collection of sport events. ... Look up Football in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were held in Mexico City in 1968. ...

Biography

Tommie Smith (center) and John Carlos (right) showing the Black Power salute in the 1968 Summer Olympics while Silver medalist Peter Norman (left) wears an OPHR badge to show his support for the two Americans.

While a student at San Jose State, Smith won the national collegiate 220-yard (201.17-meter) title in 1967 before adding the AAU furlong (201.17m) crown as well. He repeated as AAU 200m champion in 1968 and made the Olympic team. In the 1968 Olympic Games at Mexico City, he won the gold medal for the 200m in a world record time 19.83 s. He and a teammate, John Carlos, who earned the bronze, gave a Black Power salute while receiving their medals. Silver medalist Peter Norman, a white Australian, donned a human rights badge on the podium in support of their protest. (See 1968 Olympics Black Power Salute.) Fairuse of an image from:www. ... Fairuse of an image from:www. ... John Wesley Carlos (born June 5, 1945 in Harlem, New York) is an American former track and field athlete and professional football player. ... The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were held in Mexico City in 1968. ... Peter Norman (left) with Tommie Smith (centre) and John Carlos Peter George Norman (15 June 1942 – 3 October 2006) was an Australian track star best known for winning the silver medal in the 200 metres at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. ... San José State University, commonly shortened to San Jose State and SJSU, is the oldest university in what became the California State University system. ... See also: 1966 in sports, other events of 1967, 1968 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: Mario Andretti wins the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship — Richard Petty May 31-Indianapolis 500 — A.J. Foyt USAC Racing — A.J. Foyt won the season championship... - The Amateur Athletic Union, widely known as the AAU, was formed in United States. ... // December 8 — Fukuoka Marathon, Japan Mens Winner: Bill Adcocks (ENG) 2:10:48 Stock car racing: Cale Yarborough won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - David Pearson Indianapolis 500 - Bobby Unser USAC Racing - Bobby Unser won the season championship Formula One Champion: Graham Hill of Great Britain 24 hours of... Nickname: Motto: Ciudad en movimiento Location of Mexico City in central Mexico Coordinates: , Country Federal entity Boroughs The 16 delegaciones Founded c. ... A world record is the best performance in a certain discipline, usually a sports event. ... Look up second in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... John Wesley Carlos (born June 5, 1945 in Harlem, New York) is an American former track and field athlete and professional football player. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Peter Norman (left) with Tommie Smith (centre) and John Carlos Peter George Norman (15 June 1942 – 3 October 2006) was an Australian track star best known for winning the silver medal in the 200 metres at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. ... The Black Power Salute at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico is a noted civil rights protest. ...

Some people (particularly IOC president Avery Brundage) felt that a political statement had no place in the international forum of the Olympic Games. In an immediate response to their actions, Smith and Carlos were suspended from the U.S. team by Brundage and banned from the Olympic Village. Those who opposed the protest said the actions disgraced all Americans. Supporters, on the other hand, praised the men for their bravery. The men's gesture had lingering effects for both Smith and Carlos, the most serious of which were death threats against them and their families. Avery Brundage (September 28, 1887 – May 8, 1975) was an American athlete, sports official, art collector and philanthropist. ...

Even while attending Lemoore High School, Smith showed major potential, setting most of the school's track records, many of which remain. After graduating, Smith played professional football with the Cincinnati Bengals for three years. He later became a track coach at Oberlin College in Ohio, where he also taught sociology and until recently was a faculty member at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California. Information in this article or section has not been verified against sources and may not be reliable. ... Oberlin College is a small, selective liberal arts college in Oberlin, Ohio, in the United States. ... Official language(s) None Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus Largest metro area Cleveland Area  Ranked 34th  - Total 44,825 sq mi (116,096 km²)  - Width 220 miles (355 km)  - Length 220 miles (355 km)  - % water 8. ... Sociology (from Latin: socius, companion; and the suffix -ology, the study of, from Greek λόγος, lógos, knowledge) is an academic and applied discipline that studies society and human social interaction. ... Santa Monica College is a two-year public community college located in Santa Monica in Los Angeles County, California. ... For other uses, see Santa Monica (disambiguation). ...

During his career, Smith set seven individual world records and also was a member of several world-record relay teams at San Jose State. With all-time bests of 10.1 for 100 meters, 19.83 for 200 and 44.5 for the 400, Smith still ranks high on the all-time lists.

He became a member of the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1978. In 1996, Smith was inducted into the California Black Sports Hall of Fame, and in 1999 he received the Sportsman of the Millennium Award. In 2000 - 2001 the County of Los Angeles and the State of Texas presented Smith with Commendation, Recognition and Proclamation Awards. See also: 1977 in sports, other events of 1978, 1979 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto racing USAC - A J Foyt won final season championship under USAC. CART, Championship Auto Racing Teams open wheel racing established in the United States. ... See also: 1995 in sports, other events of 1996, 1997 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Auto Racing Stock car racing: Dale Jarrett won the Daytona 500 NASCAR Championship - Terry Labonte Rusty Wallace wins the Suzuka NASCAR Thunder 100 at Suzuka City November 24, the first NASCAR... See also: 1998 in sports, other events of 1999, 2000 in sports and the list of years in sports. // Athletics Hicham El Guerrouj sets the new World Record in the mile at the World Championships in Rome. ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 2001 Gregorian calendar). ...

In 2005, a statue showing Smith and Carlos on the medal stand was constructed by political artist Rigo 23 and dedicated on the campus of San Jose State University. [1] // Athletics Mens 100 metres - Asafa Powell of Jamaica sets a new world record of 9. ... Rigo 23 - Photo by Tristan Savatier Rigo 23 (also known as Rigo <year>, for example, Rigo 95), born (1966) Ricardo Gouveia, is a Portuguese muralist, painter, and political artist residing in San Francisco, California. ...

With author David Steele, Smith wrote his autobiography, entitled Silent Gesture, published in February of 2007 by Temple University Press. David Stanley Steele, born: 29 September 1941, Bradeley, Staffordshire became a British sporting hero when Tony Greig picked him for the English cricket team in 1975. ... Cover of the first English edition of 1793 of Benjamin Franklins autobiography. ... Temple University Press is a university press, was founded in 1969, and is part of Temple University. ...

Audio interview

• TheFinalSprint.com's interview with Tommie Smith, Olympic sprinter & civil rights activist

Video interview

• Interview with Tommie Smith on Democracy Now! program, February 21, 2007

See also

• 1968 Olympics Black Power Salute
• Timeline of the American Civil Rights Movement
• Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame

The Black Power Salute at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico is a noted civil rights protest. ... This is a timeline of the American Civil Rights Movement. ... The Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame honors sports figures who have made a significant impact in the San Francisco Bay Area. ...

External links

• Official Tommie Smith website
• SALUTE - The Movie webpage (directed by Peter Norman's nephew Matt Norman)
• Tommie Smith entry at Databaseolympics.com