Fists of Freedom: An Olympic Story Not Taught in School

With the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil underway, we revisit this article by Dave Zirin about the 1968 Olympics. It has been 48 years since Tommie Smith, John Carlos, and Peter Norman took the medal stand following the 200-meter dash at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City and created what must be considered the most enduring, riveting image in the history of either sports or protest. But while the image has stood the test of time, the struggle that led to that moment has been cast aside.