At the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, Tommie Smith and his
teammate John Carlos came in first and third, respectively,
in the 200-meter dash. As they received their medals, each
man raised a black-gloved fist, creating an image that will
always stand as an iconic representation of the complicated
conflations of race, politics, and sports. In this, his
autobiography, Smith fills out the story around that moment-
-how it came to be and where it led him.
Smith engagingly describes his life-long commitment to
athletics, education, and human rights. He also dispels
some of the myths surrounding his famous gesture of
protest: contrary to legend, Smith was not a member of the
Black Panthers, nor were his medals taken back by the
Olympic Committee. Retelling the fear he felt in planning
and carrying out his protest, the death threats against
him, his difficulty in finding work, and his determination
to live his values, he conveys the long, painful backlash
that came with his fame, and his fate, all of which was
wrapped up in his "silent gesture."
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