On October 16, 1968, at the Mexico City Olympics, American sprinters Tommie Smith (gold) and John Carlos (bronze) bowed their heads and raised black-gloved fists during the national anthem on the 200-meter medal podium. Australian silver medalist Peter Norman wore an Olympic Project for Human Rights badge in solidarity. The gesture — a protest against racial injustice in America — was broadcast worldwide and became one of the most iconic images of the civil rights era. Smith and Carlos were expelled from the Olympic Village and received death threats upon returning home. They were ostracized for years before being recognized as civil rights heroes. The image endures as a symbol of the intersection of sport, politics, and moral courage.
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