San Jose State University – The Tommie Smith John Carlos Statue
November 25, 2009 by Jimson Lee · 3 Comments
This is part 1 of 2 from my recent visit to the Bay Area, California
A trip to Silicon Valley wouldn’t be complete without a visit to San José State University.
I had two things on my agenda. Visit the Tommie Smith – John Carlos 23 foot statute, and visit the old Track and Field facility, otherwise known as Winter Field (after legendary coach Bud Winter)
Tommie Smith and John Carlos won Gold and Bronze at the Olympics on October 16, 1968 in Mexico City. 37 years later, they unveiled a statue between Clark Hall and Tower Hall at the SJSU Campus. You can’t miss it.
The sculpture depicts the pivotal moment in history when Smith and Carlos took a stand for human rights on the victory podium at the Olympics. It was a “silent protest” that was seen around the world, hence the book title for Smith, not Black Power.
The statue is made from hand-cut ceramic tiles and modeled in fiber glass. Their heads and arms are cast in bronze.
The second place podium remains empty for visitors to “take a stand” for human rights (at least, that was my interpretation).
Other than the symbolic black glove and walking bare feet with a Puma shoe on the side, the other controversial object was the human rights badge seen by Carlos and Peter Norman of Australia, who finished second.
Norman quoted he was disgusted by his own country’s government’s White Australia policy, which ended in 1975, seven years after this protest. Needless to say, he was not popular with Australia’s Olympic authorities nor the Australian media. Kudos to Peter Norman for taking a stand.
Below are some of the photos.
Tags: Olympic History, Track and Field
I find this statue to be quite self indulgent to be honest.
As an Australian knowing Peter Norman’s version of events I believe this represents what Smith and Carlos were trying to prevent and take a stand against, inequality and basic human rights and respect. 3 people were involved and to only represent 2 is making their act just like what they are fighting against.
To use the excuse of letting people stand their for pictures really is a silly equation and the truth is that there was no place for the white guy on a black tribute display.
Artists depart from total realism to convey themes. From the perspective that Carlos and Smith effectively used that moment to make a statement that became more significant than a medal ceremony, the statue speaks volumes. As a matter of fact, when I watched this ceremony in 1968, Carlos and Smith, with their now famous “Black Power” salute is all I remember seeing.