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[dramatic music]
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♪ ♪
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male announcer: The following
is a presentation
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00:00:16,234 --> 00:00:18,267
of HBO Sports.
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[dramatic music]
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♪ ♪
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- '68 was cram-packed
with enough events
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that could have covered
the whole century.
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♪ ♪
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- Many cities blew up
in riot, they burned.
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Night in and night out.
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Smoldering fires
of discontent.
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00:01:04,267 --> 00:01:07,234
- The assassination
of Dr. Martin Luther King.
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- If his life
was not worth very much,
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then who am I?
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I don't care how fast
and how far you can jump.
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You're still
just another nigger.
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- It gave them pause to think
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about the hatred,
the animosity.
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- I am a man.
Treat me like a human being.
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- You just can't stop
the stupidity
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and the racism
with just words.
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- That single gesture
was like a stick of dynamite
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in a pile of dynamite.
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- People thought that victory
stand was a hate message.
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But it wasn't.
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It was a cry for freedom.
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male narrator:
"Fists of Freedom:
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The Story of the
'68 Summer Games."
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[clamoring]
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During the long,
hot summer of 1968,
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a country stood
on the eve of destruction.
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Conflict and struggle
was everywhere.
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Against the war in Vietnam,
against racial inequality,
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against poverty.
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[screaming]
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[gunfire]
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It was alongside
that messy backdrop
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of political and social unrest
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that a group of America's
black track athletes
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willingly stepped
into the cauldron.
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[inspiring music]
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Well aware of the wholesale
injustice that consumed them,
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two of those athletes
took a courageous stand
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and delivered a single image
so powerful and provocative,
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it remains a part of them
and us to this day.
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♪ ♪
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[calm music]
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What's revealing
is how those athletes
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arrived
at that seminal moment.
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John Carlos and his
fellow Olympic sprinters,
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Tommie Smith and Lee Evans,
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each struggled
with life's hardships
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in different parts
of the country.
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♪ ♪
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But their character
and athletic talents
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were shaped by similar social
and economic conditions.
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♪ ♪
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- I came into San Jose State
6'3", about 170 pounds.
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Dripping wet.
"Tommy, you're really strong.
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"Guys now just can't
keep up with you.
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You can run for a mile."
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They said, "Did you work out
over the summer?"
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I said no.
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But actually, I did.
Because I worked in the fields.
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My family background
was a farm background.
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A hardworking background.
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Picking cotton, chopping
cotton, cutting grapes,
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feeding the hogs,
milking the cows, everything.
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- Hey, this is sharp, whoa!
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- They used to walk up to town
with my 25 cents
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and buy ice cream, and be
heckled on the way up there.
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"Get out of the road,
little nigger.
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Go back to the jungle."
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I'm just going
to get me some ice cream.
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00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:11,500
As the seven kids got up,
and he said,
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everybody up,
we're going to work.
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I said, "Well, Daddy,
I have a meet today."
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He said, "You can run
this Saturday.
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"But if you take a second
place,
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00:04:21,633 --> 00:04:23,000
"you going to be
out in the field
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with the rest of your brothers
and sisters next week."
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And ever since then,
I got a lot of burn marks
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across my chest.
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Lee and I met
in the grape fields.
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- I grew up in rural
Fresno California.
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00:04:34,934 --> 00:04:37,334
I did a lot of
farm labor work as a kid.
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I did farm labor work
until I was 16 years old.
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Every summer, all summer.
Sun up to sun down.
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If you worked 10 to 12 hours
in the cotton field,
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or the grape patch,
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00:04:47,201 --> 00:04:48,567
then you come
and you bring your cotton
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to the scale to be weighed,
and the guy's just
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cheating you at the scale,
call you nigger, you know.
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I'd buy
a dollar's worth of gas,
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00:04:54,900 --> 00:04:56,600
and go buy
a dollar's worth of worms,
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and go fishing, and catch
enough fish to eat all week.
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[cheers]
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- I saw this young kid
over there,
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talking all this smack,
making noise.
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00:05:08,401 --> 00:05:09,900
And I went over
to one of the other
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00:05:09,967 --> 00:05:11,500
top sprinters at the time,
I said,
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"Who the heck's
this guy over there?"
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And he said, "Ah, that's some
high school kid named Carlos."
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- John Carlos
was New York City.
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narrator:
More specifically, Harlem.
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[groovy music]
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On those streets, Carlos
learned to fight his battles,
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and handle his hustles.
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- He was boisterous
on the track.
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He was boisterous
in the classroom.
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00:05:32,667 --> 00:05:35,301
He was boisterous in
the parties that he attended.
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He was boisterous
when he tried to hit on women.
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He had an entirely
different demeanor.
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- Some guy at a service station
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was giving his little daughter
some grief,
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and John just got out of
the car and smacked the guy.
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He just knocked the guy down.
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Put the child
in the car and left.
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You wanted him
to be your friend,
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00:05:51,201 --> 00:05:53,267
because you didn't want
John Carlos as your enemy.
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[soft music]
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- Athletics
was their one chance in life
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to escape
doom or poverty.
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00:06:02,633 --> 00:06:04,667
♪ ♪
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They had a sense of hope.
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narrator: For Smith, Evans,
and Carlos,
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00:06:11,667 --> 00:06:14,101
speed was more
than their salvation.
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00:06:14,167 --> 00:06:15,633
It was also
an accurate reflection
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00:06:15,700 --> 00:06:18,434
of their unique personalities.
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00:06:18,500 --> 00:06:23,167
- Tommie was the fastest human
being that I had ever seen.
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[dramatic music]
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♪ ♪
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- Bob Hayes at maximum speed
was at 25 miles per hour
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00:06:31,234 --> 00:06:33,368
between 50 to 75 yards,
and Tommie
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00:06:33,434 --> 00:06:36,101
was actually increasing
to 28 miles per hour
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00:06:36,167 --> 00:06:38,633
at 75 meters to 100 meters.
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00:06:38,700 --> 00:06:41,500
His stride length,
which averaged 8'5",
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00:06:41,567 --> 00:06:44,067
actually increased to 8'8"
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00:06:44,134 --> 00:06:46,934
the last 20 meters
of a 200 meters.
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00:06:47,000 --> 00:06:50,267
- In Sacramento,
California, 1967.
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00:06:50,334 --> 00:06:52,834
We came off the curve,
I would run, I said, man,
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00:06:52,900 --> 00:06:54,067
I'm going to beat
Tommie Smith today, boy.
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00:06:54,134 --> 00:06:55,401
I'm going to beat this guy.
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00:06:55,468 --> 00:06:57,700
My peripheral vision
picks up a kneecap.
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His knees are about as high
as my eyebrows.
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00:07:00,434 --> 00:07:02,368
When that knee came down,
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00:07:02,434 --> 00:07:05,201
he's seven meters
in front of me.
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00:07:05,267 --> 00:07:07,201
I said, no one had ever
passed me, first of all.
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00:07:07,267 --> 00:07:10,101
And secondly, no one had ever
passed me like that.
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It was like
he was on a motorcycle.
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He was gone.
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00:07:13,167 --> 00:07:14,533
[whooshing noise]
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[dramatic music]
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♪ ♪
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- Majestic,
it was gazelle-like.
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And you had that feeling
that you sometimes
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were watching Tommie
in slow motion
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even when
he was at full speed.
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00:07:33,867 --> 00:07:36,000
- Lee Evans
was almost the opposite
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of Tommie Smith's grace.
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You knew he was working hard.
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[inspiring music]
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- If you had to pick
one athlete in this century
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who symbolized
what Kipling would describe
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00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:50,167
of 60 seconds' worth
of distance run,
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00:07:50,234 --> 00:07:51,967
it would be Lee Evans.
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♪ ♪
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Lee was the most ferocious,
tenacious competitor
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00:07:56,767 --> 00:08:00,101
I've ever watched on a track,
and maybe in sports.
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His form was not
what you would call classic.
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00:08:03,301 --> 00:08:05,301
♪ ♪
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00:08:05,368 --> 00:08:08,034
- Lee had a running style
that made you call him
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The Tasmanian Devil,
because he was everywhere.
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00:08:10,734 --> 00:08:13,167
- I would weave left,
I weaved right.
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00:08:13,234 --> 00:08:15,633
- Sometimes, his arms,
instead of going up and down,
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00:08:15,700 --> 00:08:17,600
you'd see them
flailing across the track.
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00:08:17,667 --> 00:08:19,800
- He was like a drunk on
roller skates half the time.
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♪ ♪
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00:08:22,401 --> 00:08:24,334
- As he came down the track,
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it looked like he was
one step away from death.
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00:08:31,700 --> 00:08:33,934
- With John, it was as if
he was on the street
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00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:38,067
up in Harlem, running from
one fire hydrant to the next.
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00:08:38,134 --> 00:08:40,067
- He'd eat a hotdog,
drink a soda and come out,
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00:08:40,134 --> 00:08:41,468
and beat most guys.
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00:08:41,533 --> 00:08:43,633
- They're announcing,
last call for the 100 meters.
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00:08:43,700 --> 00:08:46,134
All of the other guys are down
there at the starting line.
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00:08:46,201 --> 00:08:47,767
John is sitting up
in the stands,
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joking with his friends.
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- Drinking wine, smoking dope.
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00:08:51,734 --> 00:08:54,134
After being challenged
by three sprinters,
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00:08:54,201 --> 00:08:56,533
he walked down
underneath the stands,
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00:08:56,600 --> 00:09:00,167
took his street clothes off,
got in a track uniform.
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00:09:00,234 --> 00:09:01,500
- And he'd get down
in the starting blocks
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00:09:01,567 --> 00:09:03,201
and be talking
to the sprinters.
196
00:09:03,267 --> 00:09:06,167
- Carlos says in his
heavy New York accent,
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00:09:06,234 --> 00:09:08,401
"Come on, sucker,
I want to see what you got."
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00:09:08,468 --> 00:09:09,700
[gun fires]
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00:09:09,767 --> 00:09:11,834
[cheering]
200
00:09:11,900 --> 00:09:13,633
narrator:
All three gifted athletes
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00:09:13,700 --> 00:09:15,967
eventually came
to San Jose State.
202
00:09:16,034 --> 00:09:19,900
Smith first, then Evans,
and finally, Carlos.
203
00:09:19,967 --> 00:09:22,000
Each lured to California
by the school's
204
00:09:22,067 --> 00:09:24,734
legendary track coach,
Bud Winter.
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00:09:24,800 --> 00:09:27,201
San Jose was Speed City.
206
00:09:27,267 --> 00:09:28,667
- Touchdown, that's all!
207
00:09:28,734 --> 00:09:32,368
- San Jose State was smaller
than USC or UCLA,
208
00:09:32,434 --> 00:09:33,834
which were the larger schools.
209
00:09:33,900 --> 00:09:35,967
And so, there was
a real expression
210
00:09:36,034 --> 00:09:37,600
that said to
the rest of the world,
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00:09:37,667 --> 00:09:39,167
"Here we are, guys.
Come get us.
212
00:09:39,234 --> 00:09:41,034
Let's see
if you can handle us."
213
00:09:41,101 --> 00:09:42,667
And it was
definitely something
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00:09:42,734 --> 00:09:44,067
that they knew they had,
215
00:09:44,134 --> 00:09:46,134
and they carried it
with them very well.
216
00:09:46,201 --> 00:09:47,867
[soft music]
217
00:09:47,934 --> 00:09:50,267
And "Speed City"
became kind of synonymous
218
00:09:50,334 --> 00:09:52,201
not only with
just the sprints,
219
00:09:52,267 --> 00:09:55,734
but also a kind of expression
of the athlete himself.
220
00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:57,700
And it was primarily
through the voices
221
00:09:57,767 --> 00:10:00,401
of the black athletes who
were very much individualists,
222
00:10:00,468 --> 00:10:03,934
who also had a certain culture
and character about them.
223
00:10:04,000 --> 00:10:07,368
♪ ♪
224
00:10:07,434 --> 00:10:09,600
narrator: Tommie Smith
arrived at San Jose State
225
00:10:09,667 --> 00:10:11,567
in the fall of '63.
226
00:10:11,633 --> 00:10:14,633
Afraid of having to go back
and work the fields,
227
00:10:14,700 --> 00:10:17,500
he was determined
not to fail academically.
228
00:10:17,567 --> 00:10:21,633
- I had my horn-rimmed glasses.
I had my big old bag of books.
229
00:10:21,700 --> 00:10:24,800
I had my trails
to go to the library.
230
00:10:24,867 --> 00:10:27,034
- He gave me a sheet of paper,
he said, Evans--
231
00:10:27,101 --> 00:10:28,934
He always called me Evans.
232
00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:31,167
"These are all the classes
you have to take to graduate.
233
00:10:31,234 --> 00:10:32,234
Make sure you take them all."
234
00:10:32,301 --> 00:10:34,567
- Face front.
Forward.
235
00:10:34,633 --> 00:10:36,468
narrator: Smith wasn't
interested in the politics
236
00:10:36,533 --> 00:10:37,900
of the times.
237
00:10:37,967 --> 00:10:39,867
He even joined the ROTC,
238
00:10:39,934 --> 00:10:42,834
his generation's ultimate
conservative symbol.
239
00:10:42,900 --> 00:10:45,301
He was studious, religious,
240
00:10:45,368 --> 00:10:47,600
and not
the least bit rebellious.
241
00:10:47,667 --> 00:10:51,201
- We both shared,
I think it was $13,
242
00:10:51,267 --> 00:10:53,434
a little phonograph.
243
00:10:53,500 --> 00:10:55,967
He had a couple
of religious records
244
00:10:56,034 --> 00:10:58,767
that he had brought from home.
I had likewise.
245
00:10:58,834 --> 00:11:01,301
So we'd sit around,
generally in the evening
246
00:11:01,368 --> 00:11:04,167
after we'd finished studying
and play those.
247
00:11:04,234 --> 00:11:06,567
Because I sang
in the choir in church,
248
00:11:06,633 --> 00:11:08,834
and Tommie did as well.
249
00:11:08,900 --> 00:11:11,468
- I thought I was Sam Cook
or somebody, you know?
250
00:11:11,533 --> 00:11:14,967
- ♪ Nobody knows ♪
251
00:11:15,034 --> 00:11:19,533
♪ The trouble I see ♪
252
00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:26,600
♪ Glory, hallelujah ♪
253
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[groovy music]
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♪ ♪
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narrator:
Evans and Smith appeared
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to have adapted well
to college life,
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but in reality, they
were still black athletes
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on a mostly white campus,
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surrounded by an
overtly racist community.
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- After the summer,
you'd come to school,
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and you'd start looking
for an apartment.
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You call.
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"Oh, yes, we have
an apartment for rent."
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"Okay, we're going
to come look at it."
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I walked up.
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"I'm a San Jose State student,
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and I'm looking
for a place to stay."
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Curtain closed,
chain on the door.
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So when you
open the door--click.
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- "Oh, there's no
apartment for rent.
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We forgot to
take the sign down."
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And we weren't the only ones.
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The black football players,
the black basketball players
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were having all
the same experience.
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- Beyond the athletic realm,
there was the message
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that once you
take off that uniform,
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you're just another nigger.
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There were places
that we couldn't eat.
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I was thrown out
of restaurants
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that were not a block
and a half from the campus.
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We couldn't join fraternities.
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So all of those things
created a siege atmosphere.
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[soft music]
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narrator: In 1967,
Harry Edwards
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taught a racial minorities
course at San Jose State
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that attracted many of
the school's black athletes.
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As a former college athlete,
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Edwards had
instant credibility.
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00:12:48,134 --> 00:12:50,334
As an impressive
and magnetic speaker,
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Edwards used his bully pulpit
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to turn athletes
into advocates
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and start a revolution.
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00:12:57,734 --> 00:13:00,167
- Sport was
a legitimate lever
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to bring about changes
relative to race.
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A battle for dignity
and respect.
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- We're not animals,
we're not ants.
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00:13:08,401 --> 00:13:10,633
We're not rats, we're not
roaches, we're human beings.
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It was the message of the
larger American society
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for African-American people
who sought and desired
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to be treated with equanimity.
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To be treated with justice,
and it was painful to them.
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00:13:19,667 --> 00:13:21,201
And it gnawed
at their conscience.
303
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- There was a thing
they called a constitution
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that just grabbed my soul
and just stopped it.
305
00:13:26,201 --> 00:13:29,201
- They felt
an increasing obligation
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not despite,
but precisely because
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of their athletic visibility
to step up.
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- Your eyes are open,
and you understand that hey,
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maybe I can help
do something about this.
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I wanted to make sure
that everybody knew
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that Lee Evans is part
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00:13:42,867 --> 00:13:46,234
of the black social
revolution in America.
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- We had something to say
to the system.
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And we had a platform.
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The platform was The Olympic
Project for Human Rights.
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00:13:55,401 --> 00:13:59,201
- Black men and women athletes
at a black youth conference
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00:13:59,267 --> 00:14:02,900
held in Los Angeles on
the 23rd of November, 1967,
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00:14:02,967 --> 00:14:05,500
have unanimously voted
to fully endorse
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and participate in a boycott
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00:14:08,900 --> 00:14:11,767
of the World Olympic games
in 1968.
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00:14:11,834 --> 00:14:13,667
- Tommy, a lot of people
are taking this
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00:14:13,734 --> 00:14:16,767
as a sign of
a lack of patriotism,
323
00:14:16,834 --> 00:14:18,500
uh, on the part
of the black athletes.
324
00:14:18,567 --> 00:14:20,767
- It wasn't a hate campaign.
We didn't carry guns.
325
00:14:20,834 --> 00:14:24,334
We didn't beat anybody up.
It was a platform of knowledge.
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00:14:24,401 --> 00:14:25,767
[soft music]
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00:14:25,834 --> 00:14:28,167
narrator: The project had
six aggressive demands,
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00:14:28,234 --> 00:14:29,434
all of which dealt with
329
00:14:29,500 --> 00:14:31,600
political
and racial injustice.
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If they were not met,
America's black athletes
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threatened to boycott
the 1968 Olympic games.
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♪ ♪
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00:14:40,734 --> 00:14:44,167
Tommie Smith had reluctantly
attended the initial meeting,
334
00:14:44,234 --> 00:14:46,667
but soon became
a passionate supporter.
335
00:14:46,734 --> 00:14:48,967
Others, mostly conservative
and white,
336
00:14:49,034 --> 00:14:50,468
weren't as accepting,
337
00:14:50,533 --> 00:14:53,734
and their target
was Harry Edwards.
338
00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:55,700
- There is a generation
coming up who are going to
339
00:14:55,767 --> 00:14:58,734
tear your ass up
about these very problems.
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00:14:58,800 --> 00:14:59,800
- What in the world
is he doing here?
341
00:14:59,867 --> 00:15:01,067
He doesn't belong here.
342
00:15:01,134 --> 00:15:03,700
Who is this rabble-rouser
coming into our world,
343
00:15:03,767 --> 00:15:05,167
and upsetting the apple cart?
344
00:15:05,234 --> 00:15:06,900
- I hope that this
will not be an issue,
345
00:15:06,967 --> 00:15:08,334
and I think
that it should not be.
346
00:15:08,401 --> 00:15:10,734
I think it should be
the merit of the athlete
347
00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:13,600
and certainly, what he does
as an individual is important.
348
00:15:13,667 --> 00:15:16,067
Not what someone
tells him he should do.
349
00:15:16,134 --> 00:15:18,401
- I'm all for
letting your cause be known,
350
00:15:18,468 --> 00:15:20,067
but when you become militant
and you start
351
00:15:20,134 --> 00:15:21,734
really adversely affecting
the lives of others,
352
00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:23,734
I think that's kind of
where I kind of drew the line.
353
00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:25,468
So I thought
he was kind of a radical.
354
00:15:25,533 --> 00:15:28,334
- A good share
of the distrust, fear,
355
00:15:28,401 --> 00:15:30,101
even loathing of Edwards,
356
00:15:30,167 --> 00:15:33,434
was that he cut through
the hypocrisy
357
00:15:33,500 --> 00:15:36,734
that is both organized sports
and the Olympics.
358
00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:39,267
They saw somebody like Edwards
standing up there
359
00:15:39,334 --> 00:15:42,700
as a visible sign of something
that was dangerous.
360
00:15:42,767 --> 00:15:44,267
- Various forms of defecation
361
00:15:44,334 --> 00:15:46,334
have been smeared on my car
and on the windows.
362
00:15:46,401 --> 00:15:48,734
The death threats were daily.
363
00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:50,500
- I spoke out a lot
against racism.
364
00:15:50,567 --> 00:15:52,567
I was a captain in
the Air Force at that time.
365
00:15:52,633 --> 00:15:54,167
A soldier came up to me
and he said,
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00:15:54,234 --> 00:15:56,533
you say another word
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00:15:56,600 --> 00:15:59,134
on black athletes
and racism in America,
368
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and you're court-martialed,
369
00:16:00,468 --> 00:16:01,867
and you're in Vietnam
the next day.
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00:16:01,934 --> 00:16:02,967
Do you understand me?
371
00:16:03,034 --> 00:16:04,600
And I had to say "yes, sir."
372
00:16:04,667 --> 00:16:06,167
- When I came home
to the school
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00:16:06,234 --> 00:16:08,167
in which I was teaching,
the principal said,
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00:16:08,234 --> 00:16:09,567
what did you think about that?
375
00:16:09,633 --> 00:16:10,967
And I said,
I was very supportive.
376
00:16:11,034 --> 00:16:12,767
And he said, well,
I think that anybody
377
00:16:12,834 --> 00:16:14,368
who was supportive of that,
including them,
378
00:16:14,434 --> 00:16:15,934
should all
be shipped to Africa.
379
00:16:17,067 --> 00:16:18,167
- And I got hate mail
380
00:16:18,234 --> 00:16:20,434
that said
nobody cares if you go.
381
00:16:20,500 --> 00:16:23,533
You're just
another fast nigger.
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00:16:27,167 --> 00:16:30,034
narrator: Isolated in
the face of intense racism,
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00:16:30,101 --> 00:16:32,067
black athletes found support
for their project
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00:16:32,134 --> 00:16:33,967
in unexpected places.
385
00:16:34,034 --> 00:16:37,334
Among them,
the all-white Harvard crew,
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00:16:37,401 --> 00:16:39,567
themselves Olympic favorites.
387
00:16:39,633 --> 00:16:40,867
- I think everybody
on the crew
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00:16:40,934 --> 00:16:42,368
agreed with the principles.
389
00:16:42,434 --> 00:16:44,567
We felt that
we owed it to ourselves
390
00:16:44,633 --> 00:16:47,667
to see how we could at least
help get a dialogue going.
391
00:16:47,734 --> 00:16:51,533
The fellows on my crew
would write letters
392
00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:54,967
explaining the Olympic Project
for Human Rights
393
00:16:55,034 --> 00:16:57,767
asking the people
who came on the Olympic team
394
00:16:57,834 --> 00:16:59,034
to join with us in a dialogue
395
00:16:59,101 --> 00:17:00,633
to hear what the black
athletes were saying,
396
00:17:00,700 --> 00:17:03,067
and to try to make sure
that we as athletes
397
00:17:03,134 --> 00:17:05,900
started to understand that it
wasn't the same for everybody
398
00:17:05,967 --> 00:17:09,468
and that it shouldn't be
the way it was for many.
399
00:17:09,533 --> 00:17:10,734
In retrospect,
what was interesting
400
00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:12,267
is how few of the letters
were answered.
401
00:17:13,900 --> 00:17:15,234
The Olympic Project
for Human Rights
402
00:17:15,301 --> 00:17:18,000
was a very diffuse
statement of ideals.
403
00:17:18,067 --> 00:17:19,600
One of the things that
appeared, however,
404
00:17:19,667 --> 00:17:21,167
were buttons.
This was the Olympic Project
405
00:17:21,234 --> 00:17:22,934
for Human Rights button
that my guys
406
00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:24,134
and many of the black athletes
407
00:17:24,201 --> 00:17:26,034
took to wearing
that summer in '68,
408
00:17:26,101 --> 00:17:28,067
and it really was
very innocent,
409
00:17:28,134 --> 00:17:30,800
but for us,
the only non-disruptive way
410
00:17:30,867 --> 00:17:33,500
we could say to the world
"these ideas matter."
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00:17:33,567 --> 00:17:35,134
all: Racism must go,
racism must go!
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00:17:35,201 --> 00:17:38,167
narrator: But to some,
disruption had its place
413
00:17:38,234 --> 00:17:39,800
and its rewards.
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00:17:39,867 --> 00:17:43,000
In the winter of '68,
the Project made headlines
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00:17:43,067 --> 00:17:45,434
calling for the boycott of
the New York Athletic Club's
416
00:17:45,500 --> 00:17:46,967
annual indoor track meet.
417
00:17:47,034 --> 00:17:48,368
[yelling]
418
00:17:48,434 --> 00:17:51,134
- The New York AC had
a history of discrimination.
419
00:17:51,201 --> 00:17:52,900
Uh, you know,
blacks were not allowed
420
00:17:52,967 --> 00:17:55,967
to do anything in the
New York AC but work there.
421
00:17:56,034 --> 00:17:57,834
Thus exploiting
black athletes
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00:17:57,900 --> 00:18:00,000
to support their
racist organization.
423
00:18:00,067 --> 00:18:01,533
Why should that go on?
424
00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:03,334
- No!
- Now!
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00:18:03,401 --> 00:18:04,934
[tense music]
426
00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:07,401
narrator: When several black
athletes ignored the plea,
427
00:18:07,468 --> 00:18:09,167
a question was raised.
428
00:18:09,234 --> 00:18:11,267
If the project's leaders
couldn't get everyone to pass
429
00:18:11,334 --> 00:18:12,867
on a mid-winter meet,
430
00:18:12,934 --> 00:18:16,201
just how realistic was their
planned Olympic boycott?
431
00:18:16,267 --> 00:18:18,468
♪ ♪
432
00:18:18,533 --> 00:18:19,900
- Was it an individual thing,
or could you get
433
00:18:19,967 --> 00:18:21,034
complete unity,
and do you feel
434
00:18:21,101 --> 00:18:22,301
that there is
a complete unity now?
435
00:18:22,368 --> 00:18:23,700
Or do you think that's
it's still pretty much
436
00:18:23,767 --> 00:18:25,533
an individual thing
amongst the black athletes?
437
00:18:25,600 --> 00:18:30,000
- The movement forced all
black athletes to take sides.
438
00:18:30,067 --> 00:18:32,667
- Do I do it or don't I?
That was the big question.
439
00:18:32,734 --> 00:18:34,401
Should we do this?
Can we do this?
440
00:18:34,468 --> 00:18:36,934
How can we do this?
What are the benefits?
441
00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:38,767
What are the pitfalls?
442
00:18:38,834 --> 00:18:40,567
- "Black athletes"
is a term we use,
443
00:18:40,633 --> 00:18:43,334
but they were all individuals
with individual opinions.
444
00:18:43,401 --> 00:18:45,401
- And everybody
had their own purpose.
445
00:18:45,468 --> 00:18:47,301
Their own reasons,
their own ideas,
446
00:18:47,368 --> 00:18:49,334
their own identity,
and you were trying
447
00:18:49,401 --> 00:18:51,167
to blend
all of these people together.
448
00:18:51,234 --> 00:18:52,967
- So of course,
they had questions.
449
00:18:53,034 --> 00:18:55,934
What's going to happen to us
if we don't run?
450
00:18:56,000 --> 00:18:58,267
- It frightened
a lot of black people.
451
00:18:58,334 --> 00:19:02,567
But any time that there is
change of that magnitude,
452
00:19:02,633 --> 00:19:05,368
people are caught
in the lurch.
453
00:19:05,434 --> 00:19:08,533
People are caught
in betwixt and in between.
454
00:19:08,600 --> 00:19:11,401
Are you for a change,
or are you an Uncle Tom?
455
00:19:11,468 --> 00:19:13,468
- I, at that time,
was 28 years old.
456
00:19:13,533 --> 00:19:15,067
I had a wife and family.
457
00:19:15,134 --> 00:19:17,867
I had to go to work once the
Mexico City games was over.
458
00:19:17,934 --> 00:19:19,967
I don't want to boycott.
I want to go.
459
00:19:20,034 --> 00:19:21,334
- You had athletes
460
00:19:21,401 --> 00:19:24,334
who were in different regions
of the country.
461
00:19:24,401 --> 00:19:26,167
- If you're in
a small town in Texas,
462
00:19:26,234 --> 00:19:28,267
or you're in
Tuscaloosa, Alabama,
463
00:19:28,334 --> 00:19:29,834
or Raleigh, Durham,
North Carolina,
464
00:19:29,900 --> 00:19:31,034
you're not going to get it.
465
00:19:31,101 --> 00:19:32,633
- When I approached
one athlete:
466
00:19:32,700 --> 00:19:33,834
"You know, brother,
it's time for
467
00:19:33,900 --> 00:19:35,368
black athletes to stand up."
468
00:19:35,434 --> 00:19:36,867
He turned to me
and looked and said,
469
00:19:36,934 --> 00:19:38,900
"Hey, I'm not black.
I'm colored."
470
00:19:38,967 --> 00:19:40,334
I said, oh, okay.
471
00:19:40,401 --> 00:19:43,834
I mean, this was something
that had just not gotten
472
00:19:43,900 --> 00:19:45,500
to the South at that point.
473
00:19:45,567 --> 00:19:49,368
- Harry Edwards was in the
West Coast being able to talk.
474
00:19:49,434 --> 00:19:52,368
Let him try that
in Mississippi at that time.
475
00:19:52,434 --> 00:19:55,034
It wouldn't have worked.
476
00:19:55,101 --> 00:19:57,368
I was the only black at the
University of North Carolina,
477
00:19:57,434 --> 00:20:00,600
but I knew that everybody did
not welcome me with open arms.
478
00:20:00,667 --> 00:20:03,368
So I had a responsibility
that I accepted
479
00:20:03,434 --> 00:20:04,567
when I went there,
and I could not
480
00:20:04,633 --> 00:20:06,301
lose sight
of that responsibility.
481
00:20:06,368 --> 00:20:09,301
I couldn't be altogether
revolutionary,
482
00:20:09,368 --> 00:20:11,334
because then
that would close the door
483
00:20:11,401 --> 00:20:13,101
for the other guy behind me.
484
00:20:13,167 --> 00:20:15,867
[somber music]
485
00:20:15,934 --> 00:20:17,401
- I just thought
that there was just
486
00:20:17,468 --> 00:20:20,301
too much for me to sacrifice.
487
00:20:20,368 --> 00:20:21,900
I wanted a gold medal.
488
00:20:21,967 --> 00:20:28,034
I just tuned it out and said,
"Your goal is Mexico.
489
00:20:28,101 --> 00:20:29,301
And that's it."
490
00:20:29,368 --> 00:20:32,767
- So to try
to sell them on the idea
491
00:20:32,834 --> 00:20:37,334
was not just a hard sell; it
was almost an impossible sell.
492
00:20:37,401 --> 00:20:38,700
- They were going to go.
493
00:20:38,767 --> 00:20:41,533
And I discovered that
when, in the spring of 1968,
494
00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:43,767
when I went to San Jose
and spent a week talking
495
00:20:43,834 --> 00:20:45,734
not only
with Professor Edwards,
496
00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:48,368
but with
the athletes themselves.
497
00:20:48,434 --> 00:20:51,000
But Harry was very smart.
The press would just go to him.
498
00:20:51,067 --> 00:20:53,967
- If you go back and look
at the earliest pictures,
499
00:20:54,034 --> 00:20:57,967
I was wearing a suit and a tie
500
00:20:58,034 --> 00:21:00,500
anytime I went
before the media.
501
00:21:00,567 --> 00:21:04,900
As it became crystal clear
that the name of the game
502
00:21:04,967 --> 00:21:08,800
was keeping the media
attention on the movement,
503
00:21:08,867 --> 00:21:13,401
one had to go right up
to the edge of civility.
504
00:21:13,468 --> 00:21:16,334
I did everything that I could
505
00:21:16,401 --> 00:21:20,034
to speak as uncompromisingly--
506
00:21:20,101 --> 00:21:23,468
We've gotten past this
Uncle Jesse Owens generation
507
00:21:23,533 --> 00:21:25,101
that feels,
"Well, I'll make my pile,
508
00:21:25,167 --> 00:21:26,401
"and forget about the plight
509
00:21:26,468 --> 00:21:28,000
of the rest of the black
people in this country."
510
00:21:28,067 --> 00:21:29,633
As militantly--
511
00:21:29,700 --> 00:21:31,967
The time has passed
where those of us who have
512
00:21:32,034 --> 00:21:33,600
achieved some type
of social standing,
513
00:21:33,667 --> 00:21:35,401
some type of
educational standing
514
00:21:35,468 --> 00:21:37,434
in a racist society
can sit back figure,
515
00:21:37,500 --> 00:21:39,500
well, uh, they're just
the little Negroes,
516
00:21:39,567 --> 00:21:40,867
and they can do that to them.
517
00:21:40,934 --> 00:21:42,201
But they wouldn't dare
do this to me.
518
00:21:42,267 --> 00:21:44,368
This is what got the Jews
in trouble in Germany.
519
00:21:44,434 --> 00:21:48,134
Because the white media
fed on that.
520
00:21:48,201 --> 00:21:51,334
- And Harry, in all
his eloquence and size,
521
00:21:51,401 --> 00:21:53,867
and pointing his finger,
would convince them
522
00:21:53,934 --> 00:21:55,567
that a boycott was a reality.
523
00:21:55,633 --> 00:21:57,368
- It was
a diabolical conspiracy
524
00:21:57,434 --> 00:21:58,800
on the part
of the white racists,
525
00:21:58,867 --> 00:22:01,600
and their, uh, crackerjacks.
526
00:22:01,667 --> 00:22:05,067
- I don't think any of us
understood what he was saying.
527
00:22:05,134 --> 00:22:08,567
Talk about polysyllabic words.
528
00:22:08,633 --> 00:22:10,401
- So you had a whole lot
of house niggers
529
00:22:10,468 --> 00:22:12,334
say they didn't have anything
against old master.
530
00:22:12,401 --> 00:22:13,934
But you didn't see none of them
staying at home
531
00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:16,234
when that racist Lincoln
let them go.
532
00:22:16,301 --> 00:22:19,934
- I've got to tell you, I still
don't understand his message.
533
00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:23,600
narrator: Neither did IOC
president Avery Brundage,
534
00:22:23,667 --> 00:22:26,134
who despised
the project's position.
535
00:22:26,201 --> 00:22:29,167
Brundage had dedicated his
life to the Olympic movement.
536
00:22:29,234 --> 00:22:32,567
First as an athlete,
then an administrator.
537
00:22:32,633 --> 00:22:35,468
Now in his 80s,
he felt it was his duty
538
00:22:35,533 --> 00:22:39,234
to defend the sanctity
and the purity of the games.
539
00:22:39,301 --> 00:22:41,700
- The man was
utterly inflexible.
540
00:22:41,767 --> 00:22:43,401
I mean, you could see it
in the way he stood,
541
00:22:43,468 --> 00:22:45,000
in the way he walked.
542
00:22:45,067 --> 00:22:48,368
By 1968, he just never
began to understand
543
00:22:48,434 --> 00:22:50,234
Harry Edward's
position on this.
544
00:22:50,301 --> 00:22:51,900
What he said,
again and again, was--
545
00:22:51,967 --> 00:22:54,734
- The fundamental basis
of the Olympic movement
546
00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:57,734
is no discrimination whatsoever
547
00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:00,134
because of race,
religion, color,
548
00:23:00,201 --> 00:23:02,067
or political affiliations.
549
00:23:02,134 --> 00:23:04,134
- Therefore, how can you use
the Olympic Games
550
00:23:04,201 --> 00:23:06,101
as a way to protest racism?
551
00:23:06,167 --> 00:23:07,767
To him, it just
made no sense at all.
552
00:23:07,834 --> 00:23:12,167
- Avery Brundage
was a pro-fascist racist
553
00:23:12,234 --> 00:23:14,700
who didn't understand
and didn't want to understand
554
00:23:14,767 --> 00:23:15,900
what was going on.
555
00:23:15,967 --> 00:23:18,934
- Avery Brundage
was to this movement
556
00:23:19,000 --> 00:23:22,434
what Bull Connor was
to the Civil Rights Movement.
557
00:23:22,533 --> 00:23:24,500
If he hadn't been there,
they would have had to
558
00:23:24,567 --> 00:23:26,767
somehow provoke someone
into that role.
559
00:23:26,834 --> 00:23:30,900
Avery Brundage represented
a generation which
560
00:23:30,967 --> 00:23:35,201
not only knew Negroes'
legitimate place,
561
00:23:35,267 --> 00:23:37,967
knew that Negroes
didn't have the necessities,
562
00:23:38,034 --> 00:23:39,767
but they did
everything they could
563
00:23:39,834 --> 00:23:42,201
to keep Negroes in that place.
564
00:23:42,267 --> 00:23:46,034
He perceived us as a bunch
of misguided clowns.
565
00:23:46,101 --> 00:23:47,301
- Brundage was a known racist.
566
00:23:47,368 --> 00:23:49,000
He had a country club
in Santa Barbara
567
00:23:49,067 --> 00:23:50,934
that Jews and blacks
couldn't join.
568
00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:53,401
So he was a racist
down to his toes.
569
00:23:53,468 --> 00:23:56,334
- And he was blatant about it.
570
00:23:56,401 --> 00:23:59,734
He was blindly open about it.
571
00:23:59,800 --> 00:24:02,667
- A boycott would only be
to the disadvantage
572
00:24:02,734 --> 00:24:04,967
of the boys themselves.
573
00:24:05,034 --> 00:24:08,434
- Those boys aren't going to
go down there and do anything.
574
00:24:08,500 --> 00:24:11,334
- I don't think any of these
boys will be foolish enough
575
00:24:11,401 --> 00:24:13,401
to demonstrate
at the Olympic Games.
576
00:24:13,468 --> 00:24:15,267
- And if those boys
do do anything--
577
00:24:15,334 --> 00:24:18,167
- And if they do,
they'll be promptly sent home.
578
00:24:19,700 --> 00:24:20,633
[gunshot]
579
00:24:20,700 --> 00:24:22,401
- And here they come.
580
00:24:22,468 --> 00:24:25,067
narrator: Just two months
before the Mexico City games,
581
00:24:25,134 --> 00:24:26,500
the US track and field team
582
00:24:26,567 --> 00:24:28,234
began a novel
training experiment
583
00:24:28,301 --> 00:24:30,867
in Lake Tahoe, California.
584
00:24:32,201 --> 00:24:34,567
- The '68 team was
the first team that went
585
00:24:34,633 --> 00:24:38,034
to an extended training camp.
It was a very unique setup.
586
00:24:38,101 --> 00:24:41,600
We needed to be at
high altitude, at 8,000 feet.
587
00:24:41,667 --> 00:24:44,234
There were no tracks in the
country at that high altitude.
588
00:24:44,301 --> 00:24:46,533
So one was built
at Echo Summit.
589
00:24:46,600 --> 00:24:47,867
- I have never seen
a track like that.
590
00:24:47,934 --> 00:24:49,767
That was the most
beautiful place to train.
591
00:24:49,834 --> 00:24:51,600
I mean, it was
absolutely heavenly
592
00:24:51,667 --> 00:24:53,834
to get up and go out
and train every day,
593
00:24:53,900 --> 00:24:56,267
because there were trees
on the infield.
594
00:24:59,234 --> 00:25:00,834
[light applause]
595
00:25:00,900 --> 00:25:05,934
- They just cut
a 400 yard oval among trees.
596
00:25:07,101 --> 00:25:09,000
When you were working out,
you disappeared
597
00:25:09,067 --> 00:25:10,967
behind the trees for a while.
598
00:25:11,034 --> 00:25:13,201
Which got to be
fairly interesting
599
00:25:13,267 --> 00:25:16,301
in some of
the practice races we had.
600
00:25:16,368 --> 00:25:17,533
- It looks like
Gitten's out front
601
00:25:17,600 --> 00:25:18,967
as they go behind the trees.
602
00:25:19,034 --> 00:25:20,900
- Because if
you misjudged your pace,
603
00:25:20,967 --> 00:25:22,667
and you knew you were
going to have a poor finish
604
00:25:22,734 --> 00:25:24,600
some people just stopped
running behind the trees,
605
00:25:24,667 --> 00:25:26,101
and went back
to their dorm room
606
00:25:26,167 --> 00:25:28,334
without finishing the race.
607
00:25:30,468 --> 00:25:34,700
narrator: But Echo Summit's
idyllic setting was deceiving.
608
00:25:34,767 --> 00:25:36,234
While the black athletes
trained
609
00:25:36,301 --> 00:25:37,967
in solitude and serenity,
610
00:25:38,034 --> 00:25:41,567
they agonized over
the summer's troubling events.
611
00:25:41,633 --> 00:25:44,167
As the violence in America's
cities intensified,
612
00:25:44,234 --> 00:25:46,934
so did debate
over the movement.
613
00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:48,334
To ensure team unity,
614
00:25:48,401 --> 00:25:50,700
the Olympic boycott
had long been abandoned.
615
00:25:50,767 --> 00:25:52,967
But the summit's environment
compelled athletes
616
00:25:53,034 --> 00:25:54,900
previously uncommitted
to the project
617
00:25:54,967 --> 00:25:57,034
to get involved.
618
00:25:57,101 --> 00:25:59,401
- The events of 1968,
especially during that hot,
619
00:25:59,468 --> 00:26:01,401
smoldering, sweltering summer,
620
00:26:01,468 --> 00:26:03,034
propelled them into
a political consciousness
621
00:26:03,101 --> 00:26:04,533
that they had not yet enjoyed.
622
00:26:04,600 --> 00:26:08,767
- We, as a people,
will get to the promised land.
623
00:26:08,834 --> 00:26:10,800
- The death of
Martin Luther King, Jr.
624
00:26:10,867 --> 00:26:12,368
was extraordinarily catalytic.
625
00:26:12,434 --> 00:26:15,167
It really made them
think hard and sharp
626
00:26:15,234 --> 00:26:19,101
about the wages of race
in American society.
627
00:26:19,167 --> 00:26:21,234
And then, with the death
of Bobby Kennedy,
628
00:26:21,301 --> 00:26:24,334
who never intended anything but
goodwill toward Americans
629
00:26:24,401 --> 00:26:26,000
of all stripes and hues,
630
00:26:26,067 --> 00:26:27,934
what then
are they trying to tell us?
631
00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:30,533
And so, those black athletes
were a bit more angry,
632
00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:33,034
a bit more willing
to be sacrificial.
633
00:26:33,101 --> 00:26:34,234
- You had them
living in trailers.
634
00:26:34,301 --> 00:26:35,834
You had them very close.
635
00:26:35,900 --> 00:26:38,234
You had them really bonding
out of that community.
636
00:26:38,301 --> 00:26:40,567
Out of that camaraderie,
out of that commitment.
637
00:26:40,633 --> 00:26:41,700
Something was happening.
638
00:26:41,767 --> 00:26:43,734
There was a rumble
in the midst.
639
00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:45,800
- And at that point, we
could interact with each other
640
00:26:45,867 --> 00:26:48,867
and we could talk
about things.
641
00:26:48,934 --> 00:26:50,167
- You can play a part.
642
00:26:50,234 --> 00:26:51,500
You don't have
to just stand there
643
00:26:51,567 --> 00:26:53,067
and just watch everybody else.
644
00:26:53,134 --> 00:26:55,667
Do something;
don't be on the sideline.
645
00:26:55,734 --> 00:26:58,434
- They began to be persuaded
by the logic of Tommie Smith.
646
00:26:58,500 --> 00:27:00,334
They saw he wasn't
a fire-breathing radical.
647
00:27:00,401 --> 00:27:03,967
He wasn't some behemoth of
ideology against white people.
648
00:27:04,034 --> 00:27:06,967
He was simply saying, look, I
want to be treated like a man.
649
00:27:07,034 --> 00:27:08,800
- We were not there
to pull the athletes in,
650
00:27:08,867 --> 00:27:09,900
point our fingers
at them and say,
651
00:27:09,967 --> 00:27:11,334
you do this, or you do that.
652
00:27:11,401 --> 00:27:15,301
No, we found another echelon
of understanding.
653
00:27:15,368 --> 00:27:18,134
The more I thought about us,
the hate letters,
654
00:27:18,201 --> 00:27:20,700
the phone calls,
it kind of made me realize
655
00:27:20,767 --> 00:27:23,867
that these guys are saying
something that made sense.
656
00:27:23,934 --> 00:27:25,600
- It was okay to be different.
657
00:27:25,667 --> 00:27:27,600
It was okay
to have an opinion.
658
00:27:27,667 --> 00:27:30,567
That when you go to the Games,
you take yourself with you.
659
00:27:30,633 --> 00:27:32,267
What you do,
and how you do it,
660
00:27:32,334 --> 00:27:33,934
is going to have an impact.
661
00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:35,667
[uplifting music]
662
00:27:35,734 --> 00:27:38,368
It boiled down to, well,
you're not going to boycott,
663
00:27:38,434 --> 00:27:40,000
but what are you going to do?
664
00:27:40,067 --> 00:27:41,800
- Everybody was going
to wear black socks.
665
00:27:41,867 --> 00:27:43,434
- Some guys said, well,
I can't run in socks.
666
00:27:43,500 --> 00:27:45,101
We said, well,
let's all wear black armbands.
667
00:27:45,167 --> 00:27:48,101
"Oh, I can't run with a black
armband," some guy would say.
668
00:27:48,167 --> 00:27:50,301
- I remember going out
with a fever,
669
00:27:50,368 --> 00:27:55,067
going shopping for shoe polish
to dye my shoes black.
670
00:27:55,134 --> 00:27:56,900
- We thought a minute, oh,
we paint our shoes black,
671
00:27:56,967 --> 00:27:58,201
then we can't get our money
672
00:27:58,267 --> 00:27:59,834
under the table
from the shoe companies.
673
00:27:59,900 --> 00:28:01,867
[laughs]
674
00:28:01,934 --> 00:28:03,667
Right, because, you know,
Adidas and Puma
675
00:28:03,734 --> 00:28:05,900
would give you some money
to wear their shoe.
676
00:28:05,967 --> 00:28:09,201
We couldn't come to a uniform
protest, so finally--
677
00:28:09,267 --> 00:28:13,600
- What we concluded, let us
not try and do one thing.
678
00:28:13,667 --> 00:28:17,368
Let everybody choose their own
way to express their feelings.
679
00:28:17,434 --> 00:28:20,134
- Do your own thing.
- And we will be heard.
680
00:28:20,201 --> 00:28:21,834
[uplifting music]
681
00:28:21,900 --> 00:28:24,533
narrator: Ironically, after
finally coming to a consensus,
682
00:28:24,600 --> 00:28:26,567
America's black track athletes
683
00:28:26,633 --> 00:28:29,234
headed straight into
another political mess.
684
00:28:29,301 --> 00:28:31,234
In the weeks
leading to the Olympics,
685
00:28:31,301 --> 00:28:36,401
Mexico City, the host of the
'68 games, was under siege.
686
00:28:36,468 --> 00:28:37,967
- There was a history
of confrontations
687
00:28:38,034 --> 00:28:39,734
between small
student demonstrations,
688
00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:42,434
and groups in Mexico City
and elsewhere in the country.
689
00:28:42,500 --> 00:28:44,567
And in the city,
particularly between students
690
00:28:44,633 --> 00:28:46,834
and the Granaderos,
the riot police,
691
00:28:46,900 --> 00:28:49,101
who were a particularly
brutal lot composed
692
00:28:49,167 --> 00:28:50,900
largely of former felons.
693
00:28:50,967 --> 00:28:55,134
- The government didn't accept
any kind of real opposition
694
00:28:55,201 --> 00:28:58,000
or any kind
of other alternatives
695
00:28:58,067 --> 00:29:01,334
to open their system.
To make it more democratic.
696
00:29:01,401 --> 00:29:03,934
The government
continued its repression,
697
00:29:04,000 --> 00:29:06,267
and the movement
continued to expand,
698
00:29:06,334 --> 00:29:08,834
and the movement
became national.
699
00:29:08,900 --> 00:29:11,667
[indistinct yelling]
700
00:29:13,767 --> 00:29:15,633
- This was the first time
any third world country
701
00:29:15,700 --> 00:29:17,401
had ever hosted
an Olympic games.
702
00:29:17,468 --> 00:29:19,533
The government felt itself
to be under enormous pressure.
703
00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:22,000
To make sure the Games
went off efficiently.
704
00:29:22,067 --> 00:29:24,567
That all of the construction
projects were finished.
705
00:29:24,633 --> 00:29:26,468
That nobody had any trouble.
706
00:29:26,533 --> 00:29:27,900
This is a matter
of national security.
707
00:29:27,967 --> 00:29:30,468
The Olympics are a matter
of national honor,
708
00:29:30,533 --> 00:29:32,633
and something has to be done.
709
00:29:32,700 --> 00:29:34,667
The way you solve this problem
is you clean the streets.
710
00:29:34,734 --> 00:29:36,767
- They decided
to start shooting.
711
00:29:36,834 --> 00:29:38,267
- And down in Mexico City,
712
00:29:38,334 --> 00:29:39,767
students threatened
the Olympic Games,
713
00:29:39,834 --> 00:29:41,900
and the government
sent troops.
714
00:29:41,967 --> 00:29:43,401
[gunshots]
715
00:29:43,468 --> 00:29:45,401
[screaming]
716
00:29:45,468 --> 00:29:47,800
[gunshots]
717
00:29:50,667 --> 00:29:53,134
- All the people
that got wounded,
718
00:29:53,201 --> 00:29:58,000
calling for help,
and that smelling of blood.
719
00:29:58,067 --> 00:29:59,867
For us, it's a genocide.
720
00:29:59,934 --> 00:30:02,900
[somber music]
721
00:30:02,967 --> 00:30:05,134
- They reported that there
had been some clashes.
722
00:30:05,201 --> 00:30:07,468
Thirty-seven had died;
everyone knew in Mexico City
723
00:30:07,533 --> 00:30:09,401
that the number 37
was too small,
724
00:30:09,468 --> 00:30:10,734
that the government
was lying,
725
00:30:10,800 --> 00:30:13,334
Some people actually
counted more bodies.
726
00:30:13,401 --> 00:30:16,667
- There was a military camp
close to Mexico City.
727
00:30:16,734 --> 00:30:20,000
They did have the ovens
to burn trash.
728
00:30:20,067 --> 00:30:23,567
Many of those bodies
were burned there.
729
00:30:23,633 --> 00:30:28,267
Others were thrown
in the Pacific Ocean.
730
00:30:28,334 --> 00:30:30,767
We counted one
after another one.
731
00:30:30,834 --> 00:30:33,067
I should say that at least,
732
00:30:33,134 --> 00:30:36,267
between 300 and 500 people
got killed there.
733
00:30:36,334 --> 00:30:38,900
Men, women, and children.
734
00:30:38,967 --> 00:30:41,301
It was something
that I will never forget.
735
00:30:41,368 --> 00:30:44,334
It's always hurting my heart,
hurting my conscience.
736
00:30:44,401 --> 00:30:46,567
And it won't go away.
737
00:30:46,633 --> 00:30:50,468
- I got a call from
Associated Press in New York,
738
00:30:50,533 --> 00:30:52,401
reporting that they
had slaughtered
739
00:30:52,468 --> 00:30:56,101
a couple hundred students,
and they wanted to know,
740
00:30:56,167 --> 00:30:59,834
would the Olympic team
move out as scheduled?
741
00:30:59,900 --> 00:31:03,034
And without even
waking up the brass,
742
00:31:03,101 --> 00:31:05,368
I said, we will be
on that plane
743
00:31:05,434 --> 00:31:09,767
at 8:00 tomorrow morning,
which we were.
744
00:31:09,834 --> 00:31:11,900
We got to Mexico City.
745
00:31:11,967 --> 00:31:15,967
Those that had survived
the, uh, shootout,
746
00:31:16,034 --> 00:31:18,368
had been sent off
to the mountains
747
00:31:18,434 --> 00:31:20,800
to remain until the Games
were over.
748
00:31:20,867 --> 00:31:23,301
- When I first arrived
in Mexico City,
749
00:31:23,368 --> 00:31:26,368
the drive from downtown,
where the hotels were,
750
00:31:26,434 --> 00:31:28,434
where the elite of the world
were going to be staying,
751
00:31:28,500 --> 00:31:30,800
to the Olympic stadium,
on both sides of the road,
752
00:31:30,867 --> 00:31:32,633
were these old shanties.
753
00:31:32,700 --> 00:31:34,368
In that week
from when I arrived
754
00:31:34,434 --> 00:31:36,834
until the Games began,
every one of those shanties
755
00:31:36,900 --> 00:31:38,834
was painted a brilliant color.
756
00:31:38,900 --> 00:31:41,834
[soft music]
757
00:31:41,900 --> 00:31:45,700
♪ ♪
758
00:31:45,767 --> 00:31:47,934
- The government wanted
to give an image
759
00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:52,468
to the whole world
of control and order.
760
00:31:52,533 --> 00:31:54,101
- From the moment
we arrived there,
761
00:31:54,167 --> 00:31:55,500
we were kind of suspicious.
762
00:31:55,567 --> 00:31:58,401
This is very strange,
and a little ominous
763
00:31:58,468 --> 00:32:00,000
to see the entire stadium
764
00:32:00,067 --> 00:32:02,401
surrounded by military
with weapons
765
00:32:02,468 --> 00:32:06,000
at every portal, every gate,
every staircase.
766
00:32:06,067 --> 00:32:10,734
♪ ♪
767
00:32:10,800 --> 00:32:12,834
- We've conferred with
the Mexican authorities,
768
00:32:12,900 --> 00:32:15,734
and we have been assured
that nothing will interfere
769
00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:17,967
with the peaceful entrance
of the Olympic flame
770
00:32:18,034 --> 00:32:20,667
into the stadium
on October 12th,
771
00:32:20,734 --> 00:32:23,667
or with the competitions
which follow.
772
00:32:23,734 --> 00:32:25,434
narrator:
In that schizophrenic air,
773
00:32:25,500 --> 00:32:28,201
the Mexico City games began.
774
00:32:28,267 --> 00:32:31,167
Vibrant and colorful,
they contrasted sharply
775
00:32:31,234 --> 00:32:32,967
with the tension that had
gripped the host city,
776
00:32:33,034 --> 00:32:35,167
and the American team.
777
00:32:35,234 --> 00:32:37,434
- The backdrop was insanity.
778
00:32:37,500 --> 00:32:40,600
[uplifting music]
779
00:32:40,667 --> 00:32:43,633
And the electricity
of all this energy,
780
00:32:43,700 --> 00:32:47,500
negative, positive,
got into us, and we performed.
781
00:32:47,567 --> 00:32:49,700
The gun went off,
and I was bulletproof.
782
00:32:49,767 --> 00:32:51,234
There was nothing
that I couldn't do.
783
00:32:51,301 --> 00:32:54,633
We performed superhuman stuff.
784
00:32:54,700 --> 00:32:58,201
- Al Oerter winning a fourth
consecutive gold medal.
785
00:32:58,267 --> 00:33:00,334
Randy Matson
winning the shot put.
786
00:33:00,401 --> 00:33:03,234
Bob Seagren in the pole vault.
787
00:33:03,301 --> 00:33:04,867
And of course,
who could forget
788
00:33:04,934 --> 00:33:06,834
Dick Fosbury in the high jump?
789
00:33:06,900 --> 00:33:10,301
Coming in with a new style
that was laughed at.
790
00:33:10,368 --> 00:33:12,034
[inspiring music]
791
00:33:12,101 --> 00:33:14,500
And here's Fosbury,
very much an individualist,
792
00:33:14,567 --> 00:33:18,401
saying "I can do it my way,"
and he did it.
793
00:33:18,468 --> 00:33:20,468
narrator: On the track,
black women,
794
00:33:20,533 --> 00:33:21,834
whose opinions
had been regretfully
795
00:33:21,900 --> 00:33:24,533
ignored by the men,
won three gold medals.
796
00:33:24,600 --> 00:33:27,000
Two by Wyomia Tyus.
797
00:33:27,067 --> 00:33:29,334
♪ ♪
798
00:33:29,401 --> 00:33:32,334
The performance of
the men's team was astounding,
799
00:33:32,401 --> 00:33:34,401
in some ways, even historic.
800
00:33:34,468 --> 00:33:37,533
Led by the sprinters,
black athletes won seven
801
00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:40,800
of the track team's
remarkable 12 gold medals
802
00:33:40,867 --> 00:33:42,967
and smashed
five world records.
803
00:33:43,034 --> 00:33:44,633
♪ ♪
804
00:33:44,700 --> 00:33:46,967
- 1968 was a sort of
coming out party
805
00:33:47,034 --> 00:33:49,167
for these black athletes.
806
00:33:49,234 --> 00:33:50,500
Because for the first time,
807
00:33:50,567 --> 00:33:53,468
the image of the lone,
isolated black athlete--
808
00:33:53,533 --> 00:33:58,301
Jackie Robinson,
Rafer Johnson, Jesse Owens,
809
00:33:58,368 --> 00:34:00,767
was deferred
to this powerful notion
810
00:34:00,834 --> 00:34:02,667
that most of the athletes
are black.
811
00:34:02,734 --> 00:34:04,734
[inspiring music]
812
00:34:04,800 --> 00:34:08,401
These black men, in all of
their black pride and beauty
813
00:34:08,468 --> 00:34:10,867
at this spectacle
of their own achievement,
814
00:34:10,934 --> 00:34:12,234
were representing America.
815
00:34:12,301 --> 00:34:14,767
♪ ♪
816
00:34:14,834 --> 00:34:16,567
Regardless of
their own disgruntlement,
817
00:34:16,633 --> 00:34:20,633
they represented America
at its best.
818
00:34:20,700 --> 00:34:23,234
The athletic field
was the one domain
819
00:34:23,301 --> 00:34:27,167
where sheer ability
was to win the day.
820
00:34:27,234 --> 00:34:30,934
♪ ♪
821
00:34:31,000 --> 00:34:32,834
There was no affirmative
action on the one hand,
822
00:34:32,900 --> 00:34:35,101
no segregation or Jim Crow law
on the other hand.
823
00:34:35,167 --> 00:34:37,633
This was about
"can you do the do?"
824
00:34:37,700 --> 00:34:39,134
Can you go out there
and run the run?
825
00:34:39,201 --> 00:34:41,234
Can you best
the person next to you?
826
00:34:41,301 --> 00:34:42,967
♪ ♪
827
00:34:43,034 --> 00:34:47,301
There was a stylization
of black rage.
828
00:34:47,368 --> 00:34:49,101
It's not about hatred.
It's about joy.
829
00:34:49,167 --> 00:34:50,301
It's about celebration.
830
00:34:50,368 --> 00:34:52,500
[inspiring music]
831
00:34:52,567 --> 00:34:56,500
- Standing up at the head of
that runway, you're onstage.
832
00:34:56,567 --> 00:34:59,800
A feeling that you're between
time and space,
833
00:34:59,867 --> 00:35:02,334
where you really don't hear
anybody around you.
834
00:35:02,401 --> 00:35:05,101
I only heard myself.
Heard my heartbeat.
835
00:35:05,167 --> 00:35:08,334
I heard the sounds of
the pounding of my feet
836
00:35:08,401 --> 00:35:10,034
going down the runway.
837
00:35:10,101 --> 00:35:13,034
[soft music]
838
00:35:13,101 --> 00:35:14,167
♪ ♪
839
00:35:14,234 --> 00:35:18,667
I'm now ready
to make my attempt
840
00:35:18,734 --> 00:35:21,567
to win the gold.
841
00:35:21,633 --> 00:35:23,000
Bam.
842
00:35:23,067 --> 00:35:25,533
♪ ♪
843
00:35:25,600 --> 00:35:27,934
- He had the most perfect run
up he's ever had in his life.
844
00:35:28,000 --> 00:35:30,134
He went zoom.
845
00:35:30,201 --> 00:35:32,500
- And suddenly,
just by instinct,
846
00:35:32,567 --> 00:35:34,368
I just wanted to fly.
847
00:35:34,434 --> 00:35:35,934
[cheering]
848
00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:37,900
- It looks like
a marvelous jump.
849
00:35:37,967 --> 00:35:39,434
♪ ♪
850
00:35:39,500 --> 00:35:41,633
- He just looked like
he was soaring.
851
00:35:41,700 --> 00:35:44,600
He's going, he's going,
he's going.
852
00:35:44,667 --> 00:35:50,867
Past 27 feet, past 28 feet,
past 29 feet.
853
00:35:50,934 --> 00:35:52,000
- And when he landed
in the pit,
854
00:35:52,067 --> 00:35:54,401
there was a collective "whoa!"
855
00:35:54,468 --> 00:35:57,700
- Wow!
- Whoo!
856
00:35:57,767 --> 00:36:00,201
- I jumped out of the pit,
and I turned around,
857
00:36:00,267 --> 00:36:02,600
and I saw this man
standing at the scope,
858
00:36:02,667 --> 00:36:05,368
trying to measure
the distance out.
859
00:36:05,434 --> 00:36:08,067
He just stood there for
a good two or three minutes.
860
00:36:08,134 --> 00:36:09,867
"What is going on?"
So they said that
861
00:36:09,934 --> 00:36:12,234
they're bringing
in a manual tape.
862
00:36:12,301 --> 00:36:15,034
- And they finally found
a tape to measure,
863
00:36:15,101 --> 00:36:18,201
because the sight device would
only go to eight meters 60,
864
00:36:18,267 --> 00:36:20,800
which is 28 feet,
and they measured it,
865
00:36:20,867 --> 00:36:22,900
and flashed the distance
on their board.
866
00:36:22,967 --> 00:36:24,533
- He jumped eight meters 90.
867
00:36:24,600 --> 00:36:25,767
Me and Ralph couldn't believe
868
00:36:25,834 --> 00:36:27,600
that he had jumped
eight meters 90,
869
00:36:27,667 --> 00:36:30,334
because we thought
it was 809, 27 or 26 feet.
870
00:36:30,401 --> 00:36:33,700
- Bob came to me and said,
"Ralph, how far is that?"
871
00:36:33,767 --> 00:36:36,201
- He was calculating because
he's so used to doing meters.
872
00:36:36,267 --> 00:36:38,600
He said, Bob, you just jumped--
- 29 feet.
873
00:36:38,667 --> 00:36:42,334
That's more than 29 feet.
And he said--
874
00:36:42,401 --> 00:36:43,900
- Wow.
875
00:36:43,967 --> 00:36:46,934
[uplifting music]
876
00:36:47,000 --> 00:36:48,667
I collapsed.
877
00:36:48,734 --> 00:36:50,201
♪ ♪
878
00:36:50,267 --> 00:36:51,900
While I was
down on the ground,
879
00:36:51,967 --> 00:36:54,234
I just thought that maybe
I'm going to wake up
880
00:36:54,301 --> 00:36:57,934
and say
"Wow, this was a great dream."
881
00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:01,267
narrator: Beamon leaped
29 feet, 2 1/2 inches.
882
00:37:01,334 --> 00:37:04,734
A record that stood
for more than 20 years.
883
00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:06,700
The jump's
immediate impact
884
00:37:06,767 --> 00:37:09,700
was eclipsed by two men
who ran 200 meters
885
00:37:09,767 --> 00:37:11,700
straight into history.
886
00:37:11,767 --> 00:37:14,767
- You had Tommie Smith and
Johnny Carlos, my goodness.
887
00:37:14,834 --> 00:37:18,167
To us, third place
was for somebody else.
888
00:37:18,234 --> 00:37:21,067
When the guy said "on your
mark," I said a little prayer.
889
00:37:21,134 --> 00:37:25,334
It was like a volcano
getting ready to explode.
890
00:37:25,401 --> 00:37:26,900
- That's a good start.
891
00:37:26,967 --> 00:37:29,900
And Carlos, as usual,
has burst out of the blocks.
892
00:37:29,967 --> 00:37:32,567
- With about 40 meters
of the race gone,
893
00:37:32,633 --> 00:37:34,967
John had a gold medal
in his hand.
894
00:37:35,034 --> 00:37:37,468
In the next 50,
Tommie Smith came through
895
00:37:37,533 --> 00:37:39,401
like a bullet
with his Tommie jet gear.
896
00:37:39,468 --> 00:37:41,234
- And I quickly found Carlos.
897
00:37:41,301 --> 00:37:43,500
- Looked at his face
and said good-bye.
898
00:37:43,567 --> 00:37:46,600
Lifted his knees, and just went
on down the straightaway.
899
00:37:46,667 --> 00:37:47,900
- Right now,
it's Carlos and Smith.
900
00:37:47,967 --> 00:37:50,134
And here comes Tommie Smith!
901
00:37:50,201 --> 00:37:54,334
Smith has done it,
with his hands in the air!
902
00:37:54,401 --> 00:37:57,533
narrator: Tommie Smith won
the race in world record time.
903
00:37:57,600 --> 00:37:59,468
But John Carlos finished third
904
00:37:59,533 --> 00:38:02,401
behind Australian
Peter Norman.
905
00:38:02,468 --> 00:38:04,368
- If you look at my face
at the end of the race,
906
00:38:04,434 --> 00:38:05,867
it's a genuine smile.
907
00:38:05,934 --> 00:38:08,900
Now, the next step
was the victory stand.
908
00:38:08,967 --> 00:38:12,101
- It was on the way up to the
podium that I said to John,
909
00:38:12,167 --> 00:38:14,401
have you got one of those
buttons that I could wear?
910
00:38:14,468 --> 00:38:16,767
And he said, "If I give you
one, would you wear it?"
911
00:38:16,834 --> 00:38:19,533
I said yeah, sure.
912
00:38:19,600 --> 00:38:21,434
Even though I was probably
the wrong color,
913
00:38:21,500 --> 00:38:23,234
I believe in human rights.
914
00:38:23,301 --> 00:38:26,468
I believed in what these
two guys were about to do.
915
00:38:26,533 --> 00:38:29,201
[dramatic music]
916
00:38:29,267 --> 00:38:31,368
narrator: As he approached
the victory stand,
917
00:38:31,434 --> 00:38:34,533
a lifetime of building emotion
washed over Smith.
918
00:38:34,600 --> 00:38:36,667
He had won his race.
919
00:38:36,734 --> 00:38:40,667
The eyes of the world would
now be on him and John Carlos.
920
00:38:40,734 --> 00:38:42,934
And no one would look away.
921
00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:48,434
- Tom and I, we were
sitting in the stands
922
00:38:48,500 --> 00:38:50,967
during the 100 meter final.
923
00:38:51,034 --> 00:38:52,567
And Avery Brundage
came out to present
924
00:38:52,633 --> 00:38:55,201
the 100 meter medal
to Jim Hines.
925
00:38:55,267 --> 00:38:58,734
I thought that this meant
that every medal ceremony,
926
00:38:58,800 --> 00:39:00,234
Avery Brundage come out
and give you the medal.
927
00:39:00,301 --> 00:39:02,734
I said, Tommy, I don't want to
shake Avery Brundage's hand.
928
00:39:02,800 --> 00:39:05,767
I said, I know what we'll do.
Let's get some black gloves.
929
00:39:05,834 --> 00:39:07,633
Tommie's wife was Denise then.
930
00:39:07,700 --> 00:39:09,700
- And I called her in
Mexico City, I said, Denise,
931
00:39:09,767 --> 00:39:11,934
bring me some gloves.
932
00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:13,934
So I had the gloves in my bag.
933
00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:17,800
I knew whatever I did
had to be visual.
934
00:39:17,867 --> 00:39:20,800
[uplifting music]
935
00:39:20,867 --> 00:39:22,967
As soon as the National Anthem
started playing,
936
00:39:23,034 --> 00:39:25,434
my glove is going toward God.
937
00:39:25,500 --> 00:39:28,368
♪ ♪
938
00:39:28,434 --> 00:39:32,034
The black fist in the air
was only in recognition
939
00:39:32,101 --> 00:39:35,700
of those who had gone.
It was a prayer of solidarity.
940
00:39:35,767 --> 00:39:38,700
It was a cry for help
by my fellow brothers
941
00:39:38,767 --> 00:39:41,000
and sisters in this country
who had been lynched,
942
00:39:41,067 --> 00:39:43,334
who had been shot,
who had been bitten by dogs,
943
00:39:43,401 --> 00:39:45,301
who water hoses
had been turned on.
944
00:39:45,368 --> 00:39:47,500
A cry for freedom.
945
00:39:47,567 --> 00:39:49,301
♪ ♪
946
00:39:49,368 --> 00:39:53,368
You could almost hear the wind
blowing around my fist.
947
00:39:53,434 --> 00:39:58,134
But I heard Lee Evans, very,
very vividly, said "Oh, shit."
948
00:39:58,201 --> 00:39:59,734
And I looked up
and I saw animals.
949
00:39:59,800 --> 00:40:02,334
I saw animal faces.
The jeers, the fingers.
950
00:40:02,401 --> 00:40:04,567
- There were boos, there were
whistles, there were tears.
951
00:40:04,633 --> 00:40:07,401
- The leadership
of the US team was aghast.
952
00:40:07,468 --> 00:40:10,234
- We are not antichrists.
We're just human beings
953
00:40:10,301 --> 00:40:12,834
who saw a need
to be recognized.
954
00:40:12,900 --> 00:40:16,368
I don't like the idea of people
looking at it as negative.
955
00:40:16,434 --> 00:40:18,334
It was nothing but
a raised fist in the air
956
00:40:18,401 --> 00:40:19,800
and a bowed head,
957
00:40:19,867 --> 00:40:21,900
acknowledging
the American flag.
958
00:40:21,967 --> 00:40:24,834
Not symbolizing
a hatred for it.
959
00:40:24,900 --> 00:40:27,834
[dramatic music]
960
00:40:27,900 --> 00:40:30,967
♪ ♪
961
00:40:31,034 --> 00:40:35,434
What hurt, an agonizing hurt,
for the old heart of America,
962
00:40:35,500 --> 00:40:39,201
was everybody saw it;
the entire world saw it.
963
00:40:39,267 --> 00:40:40,567
- They were wrong.
964
00:40:40,633 --> 00:40:44,967
You are supposed to observe
due order and decorum
965
00:40:45,034 --> 00:40:48,767
to the Nth degree
at every victory ceremony.
966
00:40:48,834 --> 00:40:50,067
- If you're invited
to someone's home,
967
00:40:50,134 --> 00:40:52,000
and they say you have to
wear a shirt and tie,
968
00:40:52,067 --> 00:40:54,234
you wear a shirt and tie,
or else you don't go.
969
00:40:54,301 --> 00:40:57,867
- The USOC felt that
these boys should be grateful
970
00:40:57,934 --> 00:41:00,301
for the opportunity
that we gave them
971
00:41:00,368 --> 00:41:03,434
and how dare they
have the audacity
972
00:41:03,500 --> 00:41:06,734
to embarrass their country
in the eyes of the world?
973
00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:09,834
- The IOC board
met the following morning.
974
00:41:09,900 --> 00:41:12,167
Mr. Brundage blew his stack.
975
00:41:12,234 --> 00:41:16,034
"You tell your board that
if you don't take action
976
00:41:16,101 --> 00:41:19,134
"by tomorrow at noon,
your whole track team
977
00:41:19,201 --> 00:41:22,867
is disqualified for the
remainder of the Games."
978
00:41:22,934 --> 00:41:26,667
With that threat,
the board voted unanimously
979
00:41:26,734 --> 00:41:30,201
to send these two boys home
980
00:41:30,267 --> 00:41:33,500
and ban them from
the Olympic Games for life.
981
00:41:33,567 --> 00:41:35,567
- Get your medal, go home,
a pat on the head.
982
00:41:35,633 --> 00:41:37,000
Go back to
where you were, nigger.
983
00:41:37,067 --> 00:41:38,401
- I'm pretty
pissed off already
984
00:41:38,468 --> 00:41:41,101
with a lot of white people,
so leave me alone, okay?
985
00:41:41,167 --> 00:41:42,967
I'm asking you the last time.
986
00:41:43,034 --> 00:41:45,000
The next man come up
and put a camera in my face,
987
00:41:45,067 --> 00:41:47,334
I'm going to knock him down
and jump on him, you hear?
988
00:41:47,401 --> 00:41:48,834
[dramatic music]
989
00:41:48,900 --> 00:41:50,900
narrator: Many in the
mainstream American media
990
00:41:50,967 --> 00:41:53,034
reacted with venom.
991
00:41:53,101 --> 00:41:55,134
Brent Musburger of
"The Chicago American"
992
00:41:55,201 --> 00:41:56,667
wrote in his column:
993
00:41:56,734 --> 00:41:59,267
"Airing one's dirty clothing
before the entire world
994
00:41:59,334 --> 00:42:01,334
"during a
fun and games tournament
995
00:42:01,401 --> 00:42:04,401
"was no more
than a juvenile gesture.
996
00:42:04,468 --> 00:42:06,800
"Smith and Carlos
looked like a couple
997
00:42:06,867 --> 00:42:10,500
of black-skinned
storm troopers."
998
00:42:10,567 --> 00:42:12,034
- Give us a few seconds, huh?
999
00:42:12,101 --> 00:42:13,700
[grunts]
1000
00:42:15,700 --> 00:42:17,301
narrator:
Angry and disillusioned
1001
00:42:17,368 --> 00:42:19,234
over their team's dismissal,
1002
00:42:19,301 --> 00:42:21,967
other black Olympians
considered further protest.
1003
00:42:22,034 --> 00:42:25,067
Typically, the USOC's
plan to stop them
1004
00:42:25,134 --> 00:42:27,800
was hopelessly misguided.
1005
00:42:27,867 --> 00:42:30,567
- They knew somebody
had to speak directly
1006
00:42:30,633 --> 00:42:33,700
to those who potentially
might do something more.
1007
00:42:33,767 --> 00:42:37,000
- Jesse Owens was recruited.
1008
00:42:37,067 --> 00:42:40,468
- Jesse was an icon.
He was from another planet.
1009
00:42:40,533 --> 00:42:43,500
He was not black;
he was an American.
1010
00:42:43,567 --> 00:42:46,800
And Jesse walked in
with a big smile.
1011
00:42:46,867 --> 00:42:49,734
- Jesse Owens was
Avery Brundage's poster boy.
1012
00:42:49,800 --> 00:42:52,000
- Politics has no part to play
1013
00:42:52,067 --> 00:42:54,201
in any athletic
program whatsoever,
1014
00:42:54,267 --> 00:42:55,600
and particularly so as far as
1015
00:42:55,667 --> 00:42:57,101
the Olympic Games
are concerned.
1016
00:42:57,167 --> 00:42:58,734
- We felt like they had
brought in somebody
1017
00:42:58,800 --> 00:43:00,267
to try to tame us.
1018
00:43:00,334 --> 00:43:03,600
- I said, we go back home from
here, we can't even get a job.
1019
00:43:03,667 --> 00:43:05,334
He said, oh,
I'll find you a job.
1020
00:43:05,401 --> 00:43:07,134
And you know he was lying.
1021
00:43:07,201 --> 00:43:09,967
It was pitiful; he was giving
his speech to the wall.
1022
00:43:10,034 --> 00:43:12,600
- The black athletes
could look at Jesse Owens
1023
00:43:12,667 --> 00:43:14,767
and say we could
do what you did.
1024
00:43:14,834 --> 00:43:16,800
We could go to the Olympics,
keep our mouths shut.
1025
00:43:16,867 --> 00:43:19,500
We could come back,
and we'd be racing horses.
1026
00:43:19,567 --> 00:43:22,600
[somber music]
1027
00:43:22,667 --> 00:43:25,334
With all your great gold
medals, when you came back,
1028
00:43:25,401 --> 00:43:28,734
nothing really great
happened for you.
1029
00:43:28,800 --> 00:43:30,267
- We don't want you here,
Uncle Tom.
1030
00:43:30,334 --> 00:43:32,034
Get the hell out of here.
1031
00:43:32,101 --> 00:43:33,368
And Jesse started to cry.
1032
00:43:33,434 --> 00:43:35,401
I saw him wiping tears away,
and he said,
1033
00:43:35,468 --> 00:43:38,500
"How can my brothers
do this to me
1034
00:43:38,567 --> 00:43:41,633
"when I was responsible for
getting them to this position
1035
00:43:41,700 --> 00:43:43,633
of prominence
at their end of day?"
1036
00:43:43,700 --> 00:43:45,734
♪ ♪
1037
00:43:45,800 --> 00:43:47,101
- Well, you may actually
want something to say.
1038
00:43:47,167 --> 00:43:49,468
narrator: Enraged by
his friend's expulsion,
1039
00:43:49,533 --> 00:43:53,101
Lee Evans first decided
not to run the 400 meters.
1040
00:43:53,167 --> 00:43:55,500
But in their last act
before leaving the village,
1041
00:43:55,567 --> 00:43:58,567
Smith and Carlos
convinced him to reconsider,
1042
00:43:58,633 --> 00:44:00,600
even as Evans
feared for his life.
1043
00:44:00,667 --> 00:44:02,067
- Nothing, okay?
Leave me alone, okay?
1044
00:44:02,134 --> 00:44:04,267
I checked my mailbox
in the morning of the race.
1045
00:44:04,334 --> 00:44:06,434
I had telegrams
from the Ku Klux Klan.
1046
00:44:06,500 --> 00:44:08,700
The White Angels, we know,
1047
00:44:08,767 --> 00:44:10,468
they're going
to shoot me today.
1048
00:44:10,533 --> 00:44:11,967
You know, at 2:00, I mean,
1049
00:44:12,034 --> 00:44:13,800
they give you the time
they was going to kill you.
1050
00:44:13,867 --> 00:44:16,234
Ooh, man.
1051
00:44:16,301 --> 00:44:18,934
It was heavy on my back.
I was in shock.
1052
00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:21,700
I was afraid for my life
the whole time.
1053
00:44:24,967 --> 00:44:27,434
[uplifting music]
1054
00:44:27,500 --> 00:44:28,900
You know how,
before a thunderstorm,
1055
00:44:28,967 --> 00:44:31,500
how the wind stops
and it gets really quiet?
1056
00:44:31,567 --> 00:44:32,734
♪ ♪
1057
00:44:32,800 --> 00:44:34,134
I'm going to lay it out
in this race.
1058
00:44:34,201 --> 00:44:36,267
Burn up this emotion
I have inside.
1059
00:44:36,334 --> 00:44:39,767
They shot the gun,
I was gone, man.
1060
00:44:39,834 --> 00:44:41,533
- Lee Evans is really going
1061
00:44:41,600 --> 00:44:43,700
as they head toward
the top of the stretch.
1062
00:44:43,767 --> 00:44:45,867
The Americans are going
to go one, two, three.
1063
00:44:45,934 --> 00:44:47,700
Lee Evans
beating out Larry James,
1064
00:44:47,767 --> 00:44:49,034
with Ron Freeman third.
1065
00:44:49,101 --> 00:44:51,034
narrator:
Amid the fury, Evans led
1066
00:44:51,101 --> 00:44:52,700
a United States sweep,
1067
00:44:52,767 --> 00:44:55,067
blazing around the track
in world record time.
1068
00:44:55,134 --> 00:44:56,867
♪ ♪
1069
00:44:56,934 --> 00:44:57,867
- Howard Cosell
was calling me.
1070
00:44:57,934 --> 00:44:59,167
"Hey, Lee, Lee.
1071
00:44:59,234 --> 00:45:00,468
Just wanted to come over
for an interview."
1072
00:45:00,533 --> 00:45:01,734
I said, who won, who won?
1073
00:45:01,800 --> 00:45:02,967
Who won?
1074
00:45:03,034 --> 00:45:04,101
He wanted to ask me
what I was going to do
1075
00:45:04,167 --> 00:45:05,700
on the victory stand,
of course.
1076
00:45:05,767 --> 00:45:07,734
- The big question,
what are you going to do
1077
00:45:07,800 --> 00:45:09,101
at the award ceremony?
1078
00:45:09,167 --> 00:45:10,167
- We did what we said
we were going to do.
1079
00:45:10,234 --> 00:45:12,368
We wore our black berets.
1080
00:45:12,434 --> 00:45:14,834
Black berets then were worn
by the Black Panthers.
1081
00:45:14,900 --> 00:45:16,800
We took them off
during the playing
1082
00:45:16,867 --> 00:45:18,101
of the National Anthem.
1083
00:45:18,167 --> 00:45:19,834
I wanted to show black pride.
1084
00:45:19,900 --> 00:45:21,967
[uplifting music]
1085
00:45:22,034 --> 00:45:23,468
I'm doing my part.
1086
00:45:23,533 --> 00:45:25,468
♪ ♪
1087
00:45:25,533 --> 00:45:27,734
- The young man you're looking
at is George Foreman--
1088
00:45:27,800 --> 00:45:29,201
narrator:
Nearly a week later,
1089
00:45:29,267 --> 00:45:31,434
as the controversy surrounding
the track athletes
1090
00:45:31,500 --> 00:45:35,167
continued to swirl,
boxer George Foreman
1091
00:45:35,234 --> 00:45:37,000
applied a red, white,
and blue bandage
1092
00:45:37,067 --> 00:45:40,067
on a hemorrhaging America.
1093
00:45:40,134 --> 00:45:42,000
- I hit this guy, and
I'll never forget hitting him
1094
00:45:42,067 --> 00:45:44,401
real hard a few times,
and he kept coming.
1095
00:45:44,468 --> 00:45:46,967
The only dominant thing I had
was my left jab.
1096
00:45:47,034 --> 00:45:50,334
- Oh, that left is getting in
to Chepulis very effectively.
1097
00:45:50,401 --> 00:45:52,101
Oh, another left.
1098
00:45:52,167 --> 00:45:53,468
- Eventually, I decided,
maybe I should throw
1099
00:45:53,533 --> 00:45:55,034
a right hand too.
1100
00:45:55,101 --> 00:45:57,401
- He caught him with a right,
and then a follow-up left.
1101
00:45:57,468 --> 00:46:00,167
Oh, the Russian is being
beaten all over the ring.
1102
00:46:00,234 --> 00:46:02,101
- And when I did,
the fight was over.
1103
00:46:02,167 --> 00:46:05,034
- Referee stops contest.
1104
00:46:05,101 --> 00:46:07,368
George Foreman
with a tremendous,
1105
00:46:07,434 --> 00:46:09,967
and overwhelmingly
powerful performance.
1106
00:46:10,034 --> 00:46:13,967
- But I remember at ringside,
looking up and seeing George
1107
00:46:14,034 --> 00:46:17,434
pull out an American flag,
and walk around the ring.
1108
00:46:17,500 --> 00:46:20,401
- I felt so good about
having that flag in my hand.
1109
00:46:20,468 --> 00:46:22,500
I started waving it.
We did it!
1110
00:46:22,567 --> 00:46:24,034
And I wanted to show
the whole world.
1111
00:46:24,101 --> 00:46:25,934
Not only George Foreman
had won a gold medal,
1112
00:46:26,000 --> 00:46:28,167
but America did it.
1113
00:46:28,234 --> 00:46:30,167
- We were frankly
a little bit down
1114
00:46:30,234 --> 00:46:33,667
after the Smith
and Carlos incident,
1115
00:46:33,734 --> 00:46:35,700
and those of us
who were at ringside
1116
00:46:35,767 --> 00:46:39,000
were really emotionally moved.
1117
00:46:39,067 --> 00:46:40,468
[uplifting music]
1118
00:46:40,533 --> 00:46:42,700
- In 1964,
I was a mugger, a thief.
1119
00:46:42,767 --> 00:46:44,234
Digging my way into the mud
1120
00:46:44,301 --> 00:46:47,234
so that dogs can sniff me out
and take me to jail.
1121
00:46:47,301 --> 00:46:50,334
Less than four years later,
I'm standing on a platform
1122
00:46:50,401 --> 00:46:52,167
putting a gold medal
around my neck
1123
00:46:52,234 --> 00:46:55,301
with the promise
of a better life.
1124
00:46:55,368 --> 00:46:57,667
narrator: Coming on
the Games' final weekend,
1125
00:46:57,734 --> 00:47:00,734
Foreman's act was positive
and patriotic.
1126
00:47:00,800 --> 00:47:04,134
The last image
of a troubling Olympics.
1127
00:47:04,201 --> 00:47:06,600
But not its lasting image.
1128
00:47:06,667 --> 00:47:09,101
That remained John Carlos
and Tommie Smith's
1129
00:47:09,167 --> 00:47:12,034
simple but stark protest.
1130
00:47:12,101 --> 00:47:15,468
A powerful moment that
galvanized black unity
1131
00:47:15,533 --> 00:47:18,234
in ways even they
could not have imagined.
1132
00:47:18,301 --> 00:47:22,468
- We saw the fist as not only
a courageous gesture,
1133
00:47:22,533 --> 00:47:26,533
but we also saw the fist
as symbolic of
1134
00:47:26,600 --> 00:47:29,934
black men who would stand up
and erase this society.
1135
00:47:30,000 --> 00:47:32,533
[warm music]
1136
00:47:32,600 --> 00:47:34,201
♪ ♪
1137
00:47:34,267 --> 00:47:37,533
- That moment was as profound
to those of us who were young
1138
00:47:37,600 --> 00:47:40,134
as Rosa Parks' refusal
to stand up on the bus
1139
00:47:40,201 --> 00:47:41,867
in Montgomery
and to give up her seat
1140
00:47:41,934 --> 00:47:43,101
was to a prior generation.
1141
00:47:43,167 --> 00:47:44,667
Black people
throughout the country
1142
00:47:44,734 --> 00:47:47,368
were greeting each other
and signaling our own pride
1143
00:47:47,434 --> 00:47:48,600
with a raised fist.
1144
00:47:48,667 --> 00:47:50,700
- Everybody stood up
and did this.
1145
00:47:50,767 --> 00:47:53,468
- We are an African people!
1146
00:47:53,533 --> 00:47:55,967
all: We are an African people!
1147
00:47:56,034 --> 00:47:57,468
- I want you to take--
1148
00:47:57,533 --> 00:48:01,800
- It really affected
the black college students.
1149
00:48:01,867 --> 00:48:05,000
[crowd cheering]
1150
00:48:05,067 --> 00:48:08,368
It made them heroes
in the black community.
1151
00:48:08,434 --> 00:48:09,867
- You'd go into
a party or somewhere,
1152
00:48:09,934 --> 00:48:10,867
and you'd see a poster.
1153
00:48:10,934 --> 00:48:13,800
Tommie Smith, John Carlos.
1154
00:48:13,867 --> 00:48:16,600
I had no idea it would have
that much impact.
1155
00:48:16,667 --> 00:48:18,967
all: Racism must go!
Racism must go!
1156
00:48:19,034 --> 00:48:20,700
narrator: In the shadow
of the fist,
1157
00:48:20,767 --> 00:48:23,000
each had done what
they thought was right--
1158
00:48:23,067 --> 00:48:27,368
for their country, for their
people, for themselves.
1159
00:48:27,434 --> 00:48:29,934
And for those beliefs,
however strong,
1160
00:48:30,000 --> 00:48:33,334
each would be
held accountable.
1161
00:48:33,401 --> 00:48:35,201
- A friend of mine
walked up to me and asked me
1162
00:48:35,267 --> 00:48:36,867
"How could you do that?"
1163
00:48:36,934 --> 00:48:39,234
I said, what do you mean?
"You know, with the flag."
1164
00:48:39,301 --> 00:48:41,134
- While he may have been
an innocent kid
1165
00:48:41,201 --> 00:48:42,667
going into those Games,
1166
00:48:42,734 --> 00:48:46,101
George Foreman became
an object of disgust.
1167
00:48:46,167 --> 00:48:51,067
We saw George as standing
for the old style Negro.
1168
00:48:51,134 --> 00:48:53,600
- It didn't occur to me,
nor did it matter to me,
1169
00:48:53,667 --> 00:48:55,533
that people would take it
one way or another.
1170
00:48:55,600 --> 00:48:58,101
I went there
to win a gold medal.
1171
00:48:58,167 --> 00:49:00,567
- That's why there was
such a celebration
1172
00:49:00,633 --> 00:49:03,301
by political activists,
by black militants,
1173
00:49:03,368 --> 00:49:07,167
when Mohammad Ali dusted
old flag-carrying George
1174
00:49:07,234 --> 00:49:10,067
in Zaire in 1974.
1175
00:49:10,134 --> 00:49:12,734
[dramatic music]
1176
00:49:12,800 --> 00:49:16,468
Ali didn't just
defeat George Foreman.
1177
00:49:16,533 --> 00:49:19,201
He defeated what many
from my generation
1178
00:49:19,267 --> 00:49:23,301
still consider to be
the ultimate Uncle Tom.
1179
00:49:23,368 --> 00:49:27,101
Uncle George, who had carried
the flag in Mexico City,
1180
00:49:27,167 --> 00:49:29,800
while others had stood
for human dignity.
1181
00:49:29,867 --> 00:49:32,468
- Actually, you won this
for a cause, as you see it.
1182
00:49:32,533 --> 00:49:34,234
- Yes, I did.
- What's that cause?
1183
00:49:34,301 --> 00:49:35,834
- For black people
all over the world,
1184
00:49:35,900 --> 00:49:38,000
and for my friends
and family in San Jose.
1185
00:49:38,067 --> 00:49:39,934
narrator: Those friends
believed Evans
1186
00:49:40,000 --> 00:49:42,167
would also
make a powerful statement.
1187
00:49:42,234 --> 00:49:45,434
When he didn't,
they felt betrayed.
1188
00:49:45,500 --> 00:49:47,401
- People thought
that I should throw
1189
00:49:47,468 --> 00:49:49,800
a Molotov cocktail
at the victory stand.
1190
00:49:49,867 --> 00:49:51,000
I guess this is
what people thought
1191
00:49:51,067 --> 00:49:52,834
I should have done
back at home,
1192
00:49:52,900 --> 00:49:55,101
because when I got home,
everybody was angry with me.
1193
00:49:55,167 --> 00:49:56,934
"Oh, you let us down."
1194
00:49:57,000 --> 00:50:00,201
- There was a teasing of Lee
that got really ugly
1195
00:50:00,267 --> 00:50:02,633
when he came back
to the streets of San Jose.
1196
00:50:02,700 --> 00:50:04,401
Many people thought
that he had done
1197
00:50:04,500 --> 00:50:07,301
just a watered-down
demonstration.
1198
00:50:07,368 --> 00:50:10,234
And he was stunned,
he tried to explain.
1199
00:50:10,301 --> 00:50:11,434
- Well, why are you guys
smiling so much
1200
00:50:11,500 --> 00:50:12,967
on the victory stand?
1201
00:50:13,034 --> 00:50:15,167
I say, shit, man, some guys
are supposed to shoot me now.
1202
00:50:15,234 --> 00:50:16,767
But I smile a lot, man.
1203
00:50:16,834 --> 00:50:18,600
And maybe they can't shoot a
guy who's smiling, you know?
1204
00:50:18,667 --> 00:50:19,734
That was the only thing
that was on my mind
1205
00:50:19,800 --> 00:50:22,101
at the victory stand.
Being shot dead.
1206
00:50:22,167 --> 00:50:24,301
- And very few people
would listen.
1207
00:50:24,368 --> 00:50:27,234
- I said, look, man, if you
wanted to raise your fist up
1208
00:50:27,301 --> 00:50:29,134
in the Olympic Games,
you should have made the team
1209
00:50:29,201 --> 00:50:31,434
and did it yourself.
1210
00:50:31,500 --> 00:50:35,834
- His tremendous contributions
were all forgotten.
1211
00:50:35,900 --> 00:50:40,468
His tremendous performance
on the track was ignored
1212
00:50:40,533 --> 00:50:43,600
by the people that he
really wanted to impress.
1213
00:50:43,667 --> 00:50:46,600
[somber music]
1214
00:50:46,667 --> 00:50:49,000
narrator: John Carlos
returned a hero
1215
00:50:49,067 --> 00:50:51,267
in the same community.
1216
00:50:51,334 --> 00:50:54,368
Though valiant and courageous,
his gesture was perceived
1217
00:50:54,434 --> 00:50:55,867
by some as ironic,
1218
00:50:55,934 --> 00:50:58,434
given his level of commitment
in the previous year.
1219
00:50:58,500 --> 00:51:00,533
[groovy music]
1220
00:51:00,600 --> 00:51:02,034
- I was really surprised
he did anything.
1221
00:51:02,101 --> 00:51:04,368
I asked Tommie, I said, how'd
you get Carlos to do that?
1222
00:51:04,434 --> 00:51:06,067
Because John
never came to any meetings.
1223
00:51:06,134 --> 00:51:07,867
He said, oh, I just
gave him my left glove
1224
00:51:07,934 --> 00:51:09,167
and told him to do what I do.
1225
00:51:09,234 --> 00:51:11,234
♪ ♪
1226
00:51:11,301 --> 00:51:13,134
I said, is that it?
He said, yes.
1227
00:51:13,201 --> 00:51:14,500
[laughs]
1228
00:51:14,567 --> 00:51:15,967
I said, shit.
1229
00:51:16,034 --> 00:51:17,401
Then Carlos come back,
1230
00:51:17,468 --> 00:51:19,167
and all of a sudden
he's a black spokesman.
1231
00:51:19,234 --> 00:51:20,800
- This was an individual thing.
1232
00:51:20,867 --> 00:51:24,101
Everyone did what they
thought that was right.
1233
00:51:24,167 --> 00:51:26,134
- Tommie and John were making
speeches around the country.
1234
00:51:26,201 --> 00:51:27,867
Tommy came to me,
"You know what Jonny's saying
1235
00:51:27,934 --> 00:51:29,267
at these speeches about you?"
1236
00:51:29,334 --> 00:51:31,533
That I got more concerned
about winning medals
1237
00:51:31,600 --> 00:51:33,134
than for the black movement.
1238
00:51:33,201 --> 00:51:34,934
And he was the guy who never
even came to a damn meeting.
1239
00:51:35,000 --> 00:51:36,800
♪ ♪
1240
00:51:36,867 --> 00:51:38,667
I went to his house
and called him out the lawn.
1241
00:51:38,734 --> 00:51:40,867
I wanted to kick his ass.
1242
00:51:40,934 --> 00:51:42,734
[soft music]
1243
00:51:42,800 --> 00:51:45,767
narrator: Many felt the same
way about Harry Edwards.
1244
00:51:45,834 --> 00:51:47,967
The Olympic Project's
principal architect,
1245
00:51:48,034 --> 00:51:51,967
and instrumental leader in
the movement's early stages.
1246
00:51:52,034 --> 00:51:53,633
- He did something great, man.
1247
00:51:53,700 --> 00:51:57,334
He brought black consciousness
to me and to a lot of guys.
1248
00:51:57,401 --> 00:51:59,401
But he had nothing to do with
the protests in Mexico City.
1249
00:51:59,468 --> 00:52:01,301
From June to October,
we never even
1250
00:52:01,368 --> 00:52:03,101
heard or saw Harry Edwards.
1251
00:52:03,167 --> 00:52:05,267
We never talked about him.
He never called us.
1252
00:52:05,334 --> 00:52:07,667
We never saw him.
We hadn't seen him since June.
1253
00:52:07,734 --> 00:52:09,101
The Olympics was in October.
1254
00:52:09,167 --> 00:52:10,468
So he had nothing
to do with the protests.
1255
00:52:10,533 --> 00:52:12,201
[tense music]
1256
00:52:12,267 --> 00:52:15,368
- He didn't go to Mexico City.
He should have been there.
1257
00:52:15,434 --> 00:52:18,167
- He sent his troops
off to battle in Mexico City,
1258
00:52:18,234 --> 00:52:20,101
and he himself stayed home
1259
00:52:20,167 --> 00:52:22,533
because he had
received death threats.
1260
00:52:22,600 --> 00:52:24,967
Well, so did everybody
who went to Mexico City
1261
00:52:25,034 --> 00:52:26,533
who was thinking
of speaking out.
1262
00:52:26,600 --> 00:52:29,201
- And then,
when Tommie and John
1263
00:52:29,267 --> 00:52:31,800
came back from Mexico City,
Harry got all the rewards.
1264
00:52:31,867 --> 00:52:33,434
Harry got his position at Cal.
1265
00:52:33,500 --> 00:52:35,767
He got all these
speaking engagements.
1266
00:52:35,834 --> 00:52:37,834
Tommie and John had nothing.
1267
00:52:37,900 --> 00:52:40,000
- The bottom line with
Harry Edwards in my mind
1268
00:52:40,067 --> 00:52:43,468
is I feel that Harry Edwards
was a great opportunist.
1269
00:52:43,533 --> 00:52:46,934
- Opportunists, typically,
take advantage
1270
00:52:47,000 --> 00:52:50,334
of situations
wherein for them,
1271
00:52:50,401 --> 00:52:51,967
there is some gain.
1272
00:52:52,034 --> 00:52:55,934
For me, in this situation,
there has been a tremendous
1273
00:52:56,000 --> 00:52:58,067
amount of pain, loss.
1274
00:52:58,134 --> 00:53:01,800
I was immediately fired
from my job at San Jose State.
1275
00:53:01,867 --> 00:53:05,034
I was put under
intense FBI surveillance
1276
00:53:05,101 --> 00:53:10,468
at my home, any place I went
for the next ten years.
1277
00:53:10,533 --> 00:53:13,700
- He climbed the backs
of many athletes
1278
00:53:13,767 --> 00:53:16,468
to enhance Harry Edward's
goals in life.
1279
00:53:16,533 --> 00:53:18,401
- I don't buy that.
I don't respond to it.
1280
00:53:18,468 --> 00:53:21,800
I mean, everybody is supposed
to be piloting their own ship.
1281
00:53:21,867 --> 00:53:24,834
[soft music]
1282
00:53:24,900 --> 00:53:28,900
narrator: History now links
Smith and Carlos forever.
1283
00:53:28,967 --> 00:53:30,567
One minute of their life
1284
00:53:30,633 --> 00:53:32,900
for which they payed
the steepest price.
1285
00:53:32,967 --> 00:53:36,034
After the games,
both were branded as outcasts.
1286
00:53:36,101 --> 00:53:38,167
Carlos suffered immensely,
1287
00:53:38,234 --> 00:53:40,900
eventually
losing his wife to suicide,
1288
00:53:40,967 --> 00:53:43,301
while the pain and anguish
of exclusion
1289
00:53:43,368 --> 00:53:45,401
nearly took down Tommie Smith.
1290
00:53:45,468 --> 00:53:47,867
- We were hungry.
We were broke.
1291
00:53:47,934 --> 00:53:49,734
We had no place to go,
I had to go back
1292
00:53:49,800 --> 00:53:51,667
to the house which I had,
which was behind rent.
1293
00:53:51,734 --> 00:53:54,134
We borrowed $2,000 from
Jim Brown, the great Jim Brown,
1294
00:53:54,201 --> 00:53:56,767
and when I got back,
he asked for it back.
1295
00:53:56,834 --> 00:53:58,234
We were destitute.
1296
00:53:58,301 --> 00:54:00,500
[somber music]
1297
00:54:00,567 --> 00:54:02,734
I had to wash cars.
1298
00:54:02,800 --> 00:54:04,468
World record holder
of 11 records,
1299
00:54:04,533 --> 00:54:06,700
down at North American Pontiac
washing cars in the back
1300
00:54:06,767 --> 00:54:07,934
with a big sign out front.
1301
00:54:08,000 --> 00:54:10,633
"Come and see our Olympian,
Tommie Smith."
1302
00:54:10,700 --> 00:54:12,034
They would call me out
in the back.
1303
00:54:12,101 --> 00:54:13,633
"Uh, Tommie,
you have a customer up front."
1304
00:54:13,700 --> 00:54:15,167
Like I was a salesperson
or something.
1305
00:54:15,234 --> 00:54:16,967
I had to pull off
my old dungarees,
1306
00:54:17,034 --> 00:54:18,134
and fluff my little tie up,
and come up
1307
00:54:18,201 --> 00:54:19,301
with a big smile on my face.
1308
00:54:19,368 --> 00:54:21,301
"Hi, I'm Tommie Smith,
how are you?"
1309
00:54:21,368 --> 00:54:22,667
They'd talk to me a few
minutes, get the autograph.
1310
00:54:22,734 --> 00:54:24,500
Oh, little Jonny
get an autograph.
1311
00:54:24,567 --> 00:54:25,767
And as soon as they finish up,
1312
00:54:25,834 --> 00:54:27,633
I go back out to
the back lot out there,
1313
00:54:27,700 --> 00:54:29,967
put my washing clothes on,
and continue washing cars.
1314
00:54:30,034 --> 00:54:33,034
[somber music]
1315
00:54:33,101 --> 00:54:35,034
♪ ♪
1316
00:54:35,101 --> 00:54:36,633
[uplifting music]
1317
00:54:36,700 --> 00:54:40,167
narrator: Tommie Smith could
have avoided the despair.
1318
00:54:40,234 --> 00:54:42,301
He could have
escaped the misery.
1319
00:54:42,368 --> 00:54:45,468
Instead, on a warm October
night in Mexico City,
1320
00:54:45,533 --> 00:54:48,600
he and John Carlos
turned a simple race
1321
00:54:48,667 --> 00:54:50,934
into a defining moment
in American history.
1322
00:54:51,000 --> 00:54:52,800
♪ ♪
1323
00:54:52,867 --> 00:54:57,201
In victory, they bowed their
heads and drove to the sky
1324
00:54:57,267 --> 00:54:59,034
their fists of freedom.
1325
00:54:59,101 --> 00:55:03,600
♪ ♪
1326
00:55:03,667 --> 00:55:05,334
- They were not
terrible people,
1327
00:55:05,401 --> 00:55:08,867
but they were people who saw
wrong and tried to right it.
1328
00:55:08,934 --> 00:55:12,700
Much as Gandhi,
or King, or Malcolm.
1329
00:55:12,767 --> 00:55:15,700
Remember them as people
who were brave.
1330
00:55:15,767 --> 00:55:21,734
♪ ♪
1331
00:55:21,800 --> 00:55:24,500
- It yanked me out of
the cocoon of my innocence.
1332
00:55:24,567 --> 00:55:26,767
And I didn't understand all of
the sophisticated nuances
1333
00:55:26,834 --> 00:55:28,267
or the political
implications of it.
1334
00:55:28,334 --> 00:55:29,700
But what I understood was,
1335
00:55:29,767 --> 00:55:31,468
that they were identifying
with black people.
1336
00:55:31,533 --> 00:55:33,034
♪ ♪
1337
00:55:33,101 --> 00:55:35,867
- Look, you can be both part
of an American tradition,
1338
00:55:35,934 --> 00:55:37,533
but you don't have to
forget where you came from.
1339
00:55:37,600 --> 00:55:38,767
And you don't have to forget
1340
00:55:38,834 --> 00:55:40,533
the people
who were left behind.
1341
00:55:45,934 --> 00:55:47,067
- I was one of those who said,
1342
00:55:47,134 --> 00:55:50,734
"My God, who do these guys
think they are?"
1343
00:55:50,800 --> 00:55:53,201
Three decades later, these
guys proved to be correct.
1344
00:55:53,267 --> 00:55:54,867
It opened everybody's eyes
1345
00:55:54,934 --> 00:55:59,267
like anybody
that starts a revolution.
1346
00:55:59,334 --> 00:56:01,500
- You can read things
into the picture,
1347
00:56:01,567 --> 00:56:05,533
but you can't help but be
caught up in the drama of it.
1348
00:56:05,600 --> 00:56:08,600
There's a sense of grief.
1349
00:56:08,667 --> 00:56:09,900
But on the other hand,
1350
00:56:09,967 --> 00:56:13,334
we're hoping to go
into a future that's better.
1351
00:56:20,234 --> 00:56:23,334
- There were people who had
sweat great drops of hardship.
1352
00:56:23,401 --> 00:56:26,267
That had dropped
to their knees and prayed
1353
00:56:26,334 --> 00:56:29,500
for a Tommie Smith,
and a John Carlos,
1354
00:56:29,567 --> 00:56:32,533
to be able to be in a point
at which they could speak.
1355
00:56:32,600 --> 00:56:35,401
It was Tommie and John's
contribution to history,
1356
00:56:35,468 --> 00:56:38,301
no matter what situation
that you were going through.
1357
00:56:38,368 --> 00:56:41,834
Whether it be athletics,
education, in the workplace,
1358
00:56:41,900 --> 00:56:43,867
at home, against all hope.
1359
00:56:43,934 --> 00:56:46,700
No matter what
the adversities.
1360
00:56:46,767 --> 00:56:48,967
It was okay to make a stand.
1361
00:56:49,034 --> 00:56:51,967
[inspiring music]
1362
00:56:52,034 --> 00:56:55,368
♪ ♪
1363
00:56:55,434 --> 00:56:57,867
Two simple athletes
who ran in circles
1364
00:56:57,934 --> 00:57:01,434
captured the entire world
for a brief moment.
1365
00:57:01,500 --> 00:57:06,401
♪ ♪
1366
00:57:06,468 --> 00:57:09,401
[soft music]
1367
00:57:09,468 --> 00:57:16,500
♪ ♪
1368
00:59:36,633 --> 00:59:38,167
male announcer: This has been
a presentation
1369
00:59:38,234 --> 00:59:40,267
of HBO Sports.
106826
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