Race, Culture, and the Revolt of the Black Athlete: The 1968 Olympic Protests and Their Aftermath

By Douglas Hartmann

Book Overview

Ever since 1968 a single iconic image of race in American sport has remained indelibly etched on our collective memory: sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos accepting medals at the Mexico City Olympics with their black-gloved fists raised and heads bowed. But what inspired their protest? What happened after they stepped down from the podium? And how did their gesture impact racial inequalities?

Drawing on extensive archival research and newly gathered oral histories, Douglas Hartmann sets out to answer these questions, reconsidering this pivotal event in the history of American sport. He places Smith and Carlos within the broader context of the civil rights movement and the controversial revolt of the black athlete. Although the movement drew widespread criticism, it also led to fundamental reforms in the organizational structure of American amateur athletics. Moving from historical narrative to cultural analysis, Hartmann explores what we can learn about the complex relations between race and sport in contemporary America from this episode and its aftermath.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0226318567
• ISBN13: 9780226318561
• Release Date: January 2004
• Publisher: University of Chicago Press
• Length: 344 Pages
• Weight: 0.25 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.7" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

An Absolute Gold Medal Performance

There has been so much written about the 1968 Olympics and the Olympic Project for Human Rights movement, but oftentimes from a critical perspective or by not placing it within a broader context of social movements that were gripping the world. Author Douglass Hartmann offers a holistic perspective on the protest through impressive research and interviews, while stripping away the layers of myth which time brings to history. This is an important volume for any reader who wants a complete understanding of this timless moment where sports and politics merged on the ultimate international stage.

The Best Book on the Topic . . .

This is by far the best book ever written on the topic of the 1968 Olympic protest by the Black athletes from San Jose State . . . Any question I ever had on the events surrounding John Carlos and Tommie Smith's so-called "Black Power" salute on the Olympic dais in Mexico City was found in this book, which speaks from a sociological and historical standpoint. I definitely will be able to use this book not only in my own studies, but in teaching the significant points of the protest to students at SJS. Thanks, Dr. Hartmann!