Tommie Smith

Tommie Smith

Tommie C. Smith (born June 6, 1944) is an American former track and field athlete and wide receiver in the American Football League. He is best known for his great performance at the 1968 Summer Olympics. When he was 24 years old, he won the 200-meter sprint in 19.83 seconds. This was the first time anyone had officially run the race faster than 20 seconds, which was a big achievement.

During the medal ceremony, Smith and his friend John Carlos made a special gesture known as the Black Power salute. They raised their gloved fists in the air while standing on the podium. This action showed support for equal rights and was a political statement during the Olympic Games.

Because of this moment, Tommie Smith became a symbol of the Black Power movement. His actions showed that sports could be a place to stand up for fairness. Even today, people remember his story as an important part of Olympic history.

Early life and career

Tommie Smith was born on June 6, 1944, in Clarksville, Texas. He was one of twelve children and grew up to become a great athlete. Even though he had pneumonia when he was young, he became very good at sports. At Lemoore High School in Lemoore, California, he broke many school records in track. He was also good at basketball, football, and track and field. His hard work earned him a scholarship to San José State University.

While at San José State, Tommie set amazing speed records. In 1966, he ran 200 meters in just 19.5 seconds on a special type of track called a cinder track. He also won many big races, including a gold medal at the 1967 Summer Universiade in Japan, and he made the U.S. Olympic team in 1968.

1968 Summer Olympics

Tommie Smith raced in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico even though he was hurt. In the 200-meter race, he started slow but caught up and won, setting a new world record with a time of 19.83 seconds.

After winning, Smith and his teammate John Carlos made a strong statement during the medal ceremony. They raised their gloved fists in the air and stood barefoot on the podium. They did this to show support for equality and to speak out against unfair treatment of many African Americans. Another athlete, Peter Norman from Australia, showed his support by wearing a badge for their cause. Their actions caused some disagreement, and they were asked to leave the Olympics. Smith said their protest was about important things like fairness in sports and better chances for children.

Athletics and later career

Tommie Smith set seven individual world records and was on relay teams that broke world records while at San Jose State. He was coached by Lloyd (Bud) Winter. His best times were 10.1 seconds for 100 meters, 19.83 seconds for 200 meters, and 44.5 seconds for the 400 meters.

Smith played football for the Cincinnati Bengals in the American Football League as a wide receiver. After his sports career, he finished his degree in Social Science at San Jose State University and earned a master's degree in Social Change from Goddard College. He later became a track coach at Oberlin College in Ohio and taught sociology and physical education at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California. In 2008, he gave Usain Bolt one of his Olympic shoes as a birthday gift. In 2010, Smith put his gold medal and spikes up for auction. In 2013, he received an award for activism from Goddard College.

Books

Tommie Smith wrote a book called Silent Gesture with David Steele in 2007. It was honored by the Black Caucus of the American Library Association.

In 2022, Smith released another book, Victory. Stand! Raising My Fist for Justice, with Derrick Barnes and artist Dawud Anyabwile. This book received many awards and praise.

Personal life

Tommie Smith married Jimi Denise Paschal in 1967, and they had one child. They divorced in 1973. In 1977, he married Denise M. "Akiba" Kyle, and they had four children. They divorced in 2000, and that same year, Smith married Delois Jordan.

Recognition

Tommie Smith was shown in a 1999 documentary called Fists of Freedom: The Story of the '68 Summer Games. The film shows events from the 1968 Olympics. It has interviews and old clips from the Games.

Smith got the Courage of Conscience Award for his work in sports, education, and human rights. In 2004, a sports hall named after him opened in Saint-Ouen, France.

In 2005, a statue called Victory Salute was made. It shows Smith and his teammate John Carlos on the medal stand. It is on the campus of San Jose State University.

A mural of Smith and Carlos was painted in Newtown, New South Wales, Australia. In 2012, the city protected the mural.

In 2008, Smith and Carlos got the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the ESPY Awards. In 2018, Smith got the Dresden Peace Prize.

The Tommie Smith Youth Track Meet is held each year to honor him. It is sponsored by the AAU and USATF, and takes place at the University of California, Berkeley.

San Jose State University is rebuilding its track and field area. The main building will be called Speed City Legacy Center, honoring track stars and people who work for civil rights.

Awards

Tommie Smith got an award called the President's award at the World Athletics Awards in 2020.