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 amazing performance at the 1968 Summer Olympics, where, at age 24, he won the 200-meter sprint in a time of 19.83 seconds. This was the first time anyone had officially broken the 20-second barrier in that race, making it a huge achievement.

During the medal ceremony, Smith and his friend John Carlos made a powerful gesture known as the Black Power salute. They raised their gloved fists in the air while standing on the podium. This action was meant to show support for equal rights and was seen by many as 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 also be a place to stand up for what is right and to fight 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 and also excelled in basketball, football, and track and field. He was chosen as the most valuable athlete and even became vice president of his senior class. 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. This record stood for many years. He also won many other 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 competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico despite an injured groin. In the 200-meter race, he started slowly but caught up and won with a time of 19.83 seconds, breaking his own world record.

After winning, Smith and his teammate John Carlos made a powerful 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 protest against poverty and unfair treatment faced by many African Americans. Another athlete, Peter Norman from Australia, showed his support by wearing a badge for their cause. Their actions caused controversy, and they were asked to leave the Olympics as a result. Despite this, Smith explained that their protest was about important issues like having more black coaches, fairness in sports, and better opportunities for children.

Athletics and later career

Tommie Smith set seven individual world records and was part of relay teams that also broke world records while at San Jose State, where he was coached by Lloyd (Bud) Winter. His personal 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 for its storytelling.

Personal life

Tommie Smith married Jimi Denise Paschal in 1967, and they had one child together before divorcing in 1973. Later, 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 featured in a 1999 documentary called Fists of Freedom: The Story of the '68 Summer Games. The documentary shows events before, during, and after the 1968 Olympics. It includes interviews and old clips of the Games.

Smith received 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 to show 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 mural was protected by the Sydney City Council.

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

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

San Jose State University has secured funding to rebuild the track and field complex. The centerpiece is Speed City Legacy Center, which honors SJSU alumni track stars and civil rights advocates.

Awards

Tommie Smith received the President's award at the World Athletics Awards in 2020.