Women’s soccer player Megan Rapinoe, and actor/activist Jesse Williams we get a clearer picture of the man and the lasting effect of that one gesture. Using a lengthy interview with Tommie Smith, in which he talks of his life and the Olympics, along with former member of the House of Representatives, the late John Lewis, sports announcer Brent Musburger, who has recently been heavily criticized for the racist comments he made during the coverage of the 1968 Olympics, former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick, U.S. Now, over 50 years later and in a time in which the civil rights and treatment of Black Americans is once again at the forefront of conversations, artist Glenn Kaino along with Smith himself will tell the true story of the man through art. All this led to Smith falling into a depression and contemplating suicide.

As such they suffered harassment, death threats and economic hardship. Once home they were treated by large parts of the American population as enemies. As the gesture was seen as a political act, which is against the games’ rules, Carlos and Smith were sent home immediately and suspended by the IOC. It was an act many saw as dishonourable, but they were just trying to call attention to the fact that they did not enjoy equal rights in the country they ran for and lived in. With the American anthem being played and the flag being raised the two Black men raised one black leather-clad fist up in the air.

When the two Americans were on the podium they did something which became one of the most memorable of the long history of the Olympics. Maybe even more so.Īt the Olympic Games in Mexico in 1968, the 200 metre race saw two Americans win medals – John Carlos and Tommie Smith, with Smith coming away with the gold medal. A documentary that starts with something that happened 53 years ago and yet is just as relevant. For the latest edition of the MIBFF (Montreal International Black Film Festival), the opening film was a documentary.

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