There are moments in sports that transcend generations, and one moment was when American sprinter John Carlos protested on the men’s 200-metre podium at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. Raising their arms with a black-gloved fist, Carlos and gold medallist Tommie Smith made a silent yet powerful statement against racial inequality and social injustice in the U.S. The jacket Carlos wore during the medal ceremony is now up for auction, expected to sell for more than $50,000.
During the medal ceremony for the men’s 200m, Carlos and Smith raised black-gloved fists while standing on the podium, bowing their heads as the U.S. national anthem played. Their silent protest came six months after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and was referred to at the time as the “Black Power salute.” (Smith later clarified the gesture as being about human rights more than about Black Power specifically.)
The two sprinters faced a tidal wave of backlash; both were suspended from the U.S. Olympic team and received death threats. Although it was scrutinized at the time, their movement resonated with and inspired generations of African American athletes and activists. tracksuit
John Carlos turns 75 today. That podium moment in 1968, narrated by Serena Williams. pic.twitter.com/1hOvlgiha3
— Nick Zaccardi (@nzaccardi) June 5, 2020
The jacket has some history beyond the Olympic protest. Before leaving the Games, Carlos traded it with a long-distance runner from Senegal, who held onto it for decades. Last year, the Senegalese runner passed away, and his nephew returned the jacket to Carlos, who described it as being treated like a “king’s garment.”
Carlos is parting ways with this historic piece of sports and social justice history during Heritage Auction’s Winter Platinum Night Sports Auction on Feb. 22-23. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Senegalese family who preserved the jacket for half a century.
The U.S. Olympic team warmup jacket has been professionally photo-matched to a picture taken in the stadium tunnel just before or after the famous demonstration. The jacket is constructed from blue elasticized knit material with patriotic striping at the cuffs and waist, the stair-stepped “USA” over the heart and a tight-knit canvas number “259” at the abdomen with “Juegos de la XIX Olympiada Mexico 68” text below. The company says it is one of the most significant sports artifacts to hit the auction since Jackie Robinson’s rookie MLB jersey sold for more than $2 million in 2017.
After Carlos retired from track and field in 1970, he pursued a career in football and went on to play in the Canadian Football League where he played one season for the Montreal Alouettes. He was honoured with the President’s Award from World Athletics in 2020, which recognizes and honours individuals who have made outstanding contributions to athletics. Carlos will turn 80 on Jun 5.
