Question

Read the following passage from a famous speech by Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963. Which social division is he talking about? What are his aspirations and anxieties? Do you see a relationship between this speech and the incident in Mexico Olympics mentioned in this chapter?

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. Let freedom ring. And when this happens, and when we allow freedom ring—when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children—black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics—will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual: ‘Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!’ I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal’.”

Answer 1

Martin Luther King Jr. in 1963 was talking about Racial Discrimination against the Blacks in United States of America. Yes, there is a strong relationship between his speech and the incident at the Mexico Olympics.

Mexico 1968 Olympics – Gesture of Medal Winning Black Athletes of United States of America

• At the Mexico 1968 Olympics, in the Men’s Athletics 200 metres race, the Gold and bronze medal was won by 2 US athletes, Tommie Smith and John Carlos respectively. They were African- Americans.
• At the medal ceremony, while the American national anthem was being played, they bowed down their heads and raised their clenched fists.
• To represent Black poverty they did not wear shoes and they wore black socks while receiving their medals.
• This drew international attention to racial discrimination in the USA.
• Their raised clenched fists and black-gloves were symbols of Black Power.
• Peter Norman, who won the Silver medal was a white athlete from Australia, he wore the human rights badge in solidarity with his fellow black athletes from the USA.
• The US athletes were subject to a lot of criticism. The International Olympic Association took back the medals of Carlos and Smith, for making a political statement and held them guilty of violating the spirit of Olympics.
• In the next Olympics, Norman was excluded from the Australian team for his actions.
• The Civil Rights Movement in the US gained international attention and San Jose University honored Carlos and Smith by installing their statue at the campus of the University. These two athletes studied at this University.

Civil Rights Movements in United States of America

• Between the 17th century and early 19th century, Africans were brought into America as slaves, their descendants are mainly referred to as Blacks, Black American, Afro-American, African-American.
• With the objective of abolishing racial discrimination against African-Americans, a set of reform movements and events in USA from 1954 to 1968 is referred to as the Civil Rights Movement in USA.
• Martin Luther King Jr led the Civil Rights Movement, they practiced non-violent methods like civil disobedience to protest against the discriminatory practices and laws.
• To end racism, a more militant anti-racist movement emerged in 1966 which lasted till 1975, it was known as Black Power, it even advocated violence.