Olympian To Visit Riverwood International Charter School

SANDY SPRINGS, GA -- The Sandy Springs and surrounding community are invited to hear Olympian Tommie Smith speak to students at Riverwood International Charter School about his running career, including his competition during the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City.

The fundraiser will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 8 at the school's auditorium. Tickets are $10, and Smith will address "succeeding against all odds, preparing for competition, and lessons learned," the school said.

Following his talk, he will open the microphone for a question-and-answer period and he will also remain in the auditorium for photo opportunities.

Throughout his career, Smith set seven individual world records and, as a student-athlete at San Jose State, was a member of several world record relay teams.

The image of Smith most of the world remembers is from the 1968 Olympics. A member of the United States Olympic team, Smith advanced to the finals of the 200 meter dash. In the final race as he blazed through the tape setting a new world record time of 19.83 seconds -- even while decelerating to the finish -- he held his arms high in triumph.

When he stood on the podium to claim his gold medal, Smith raised his fist during the playing of the U.S. National Anthem. His teammate, John Carlos, on the podium as the bronze medalist, joined him with what was dubbed the "Black Power Salute." The raised black gloves, a silent gesture in protest of the ongoing civil rights injustices, stunned the world.

When interviewed many years later and asked what he was thinking at that moment, Smith responded that he was "praying," according to his website.

"I was praying underneath the bleachers, I was praying on the walk up to the victory stand, and the entire time I was up there," he added.

Smith contended that the gesture was not a 'Black Power Salute,' as has been written on numerous occasions.

"It was a human rights salute more than anything else," he adds on the website.

The Los Angeles Rams drafted Smith in 1967; he ultimately signed with the Cincinnati Bengals and was a wide receiver for three seasons. Smith later became a track coach at Oberlin College in Ohio, where he also taught sociology.

He then moved to the west coast to join the faculty at Santa Monica College in California. For more information about the fundraiser, call 470-535-9665 or visit RiverwoodAthletics.org.

Image via Riverwood International Charter School