John,
On this day in 1968, U.S. Olympians Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised Black power fists during the medal ceremony at the Olympic Games, making history with one of the most infamous moments in sports and American history.
The backlash they faced for taking a stand to affirm Black lives echoes a fight that lives on more than 50 years later. We all saw the response to Colin Kaepernick's powerful decision to take a knee during the national anthem at the 49ers' final 2016 preseason game. And we've watched the backlash this year as LeBron rallied black athletes towards political change.
It's nothing new, Black athletes and Black people face criticism no matter how we decide to protest. But we can't and won't let that stop us.
In 1968 at the Olympic Games, Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists. In 2016, Colin Kaepernick took a knee. And this year, we've knelt for the same reasons they did -- to protest a country that systematically oppresses us. A country that incites state-sanctioned violence against us through police brutality and economic inequality.
If one thing is clear -- it's that
our work is nowhere near done.
Today, on the anniversary of Tommie Smith and John Carlos raising their fists, let's continue to embody the strength of our ancestors -- and together, we can and will achieve full freedom and liberation of all Black people.
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We safeguard our history pridefully, not only because it shows us the progress we've made as a movement, but because it serves as a reminder of how much work that's yet to be done.
In love and solidarity,
Black Lives Matter Global Network
