Olympic Project for Human Rights

Wanting to show his solidarity, Norman asked Carlos if he had another human-rights badge like the one the two Americans planned to wear over their hearts.

"If I get you one, will you wear it?" Carlos asked.

"I sure would," Norman said.

The badge, about three inches wide, said "Olympic Project for Human Rights," the words outlined by a green laurel wreath. Norman had been raised in the Salvation Army church -- he referred to himself as a "fifth-generation Salvo" -- and was keenly aware of the ugly racial climate in America in the late 1960s. The Mexico City Games took place months after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.

Last week, ESPN awarded Tommie Smith and John Carlos the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs -- the sports network's equivalent of the Oscars -- for their once infamous, and now famous, black power salutes from the winner's podium at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.

In May it was announced that Tommie Smith & John Carlos would be honored at the 2008 Espy Awards with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award (*Congratulations again to these Men*).  The point of this new post is to bring attention to lack of recognition of Peter Norman by ESPN.  Don’t know who Peter Norman is (here is his wikipedia page)…well, in reality you know do this man and have seen him hundreds of times.  He is the Australian gentleman (pictured on the left) who placed second in the 200 meter dash at the 1968 Olympics.  What we don’t know about Peter Norman is that he was aware of this infamous salute and supported Mr. Carlos and Mr. Smith.  I came across an incredible article written by Norman Flanagan for the The Age (an Australian News Publication) about the relationship between these three men on that fateful day.

" The dialogue between Norman and the two Americans took place in the two hours between the race being run and the medal ceremony. Smith says that as the three were sitting together, he explained to Carlos what he was doing, Carlos said he would join him. Smith and Carlos have different accounts of what happened that day. According to Smith, Norman then said: “What can I do to help?” If a movie is made of this story, this is the pivotal moment. The black Americans were incredulous. “What could this white guy from Australia do? Nothing.”

Norman, according to Smith, then said: “I believe in what you guys are doing.” Smith says he didn’t want Norman involved because he feared for him. The Americans knew their personal safety would be threatened and would have difficulty getting jobs. Smith would be discharged from the US army reserve for un-American activities.

Norman is central to Smith’s understanding of the moment. Smith gets deeply offended by people who say he and Carlos made black power or Black Panther salutes. The issue to him was human rights and that, he says, is what Norman understood. “Peter saw it wasn’t about two black men standing there. It was about two people.” In Smith’s eyes, Norman’s participation took the moment beyond race politics."

A lot of people thought that political statements had no place in the supposedly apolitical Olympic Games. Those that opposed the protest cried out that the actions were militant and disgraced Americans. Supporters, on the other hand, were moved by the duo's actions and praised them for their bravery. The protest had lingering effects for both men, the most serious of which were death threats against them and their families.