Tommie Smith, Frozen In Time (But Thawing)

On Oct. 16, 1968, after breaking the world record in the 200-meter dash at the Mexico City Olympics and winning gold, Tommie Smith became even more famous--or infamous, depending on your perspective. On the medals podium, during the ceremonial playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner," he and fellow U.S. sprinter John Carlos (bronze medalist) bowed their heads and shot black-gloved fists into the air. For that brief act of protest in support of the civil rights movement, Smith went from hero to instant goat; he was banned from the Olympic village, then pretty much ostracized from mainstream society. For years, he received death threats and had trouble finding work as a teacher and track coach. In Pictures: The Tommie Smith Story But now, looking back four decades, much of that public outrage has faded, and more and more, Smith... [read full story]