Captured History: Black Power Salute

Two American athletes made history at the 1968 Summer Olympics, but not only on the track. They staged a silent protest against racial injustice. Tommie Smith and John Carlos, gold and bronze medalists in the 200-meter sprint, stood with heads bowed and black-gloved fists raised at the national anthem played during the medal ceremony. The Australian silver medalist wore a human rights badge in support. All three would pay a heavy price for their activism. A Life magazine photograph seen by millions would ensure that the silent protest was remembered, and eventually admired, as a symbol of the battle for equality and civil rights.