Tommie Smith and John Carlos

Last night, I shook hands with the hands that shook the world.
On October 16, 1968, flash bulbs popped, and San Jose State track teammates Tommie Smith and John Carlos made history. I've carried the image of these two African-American athletes raising gloved fists on the Olympic medal podium in Mexico City with me my whole life. I was six at the time, so I couldn't say whether I remember the event itself. But I remember people saying they had done a bad thing. The crowd booed, and the men were suspended from the team and sent home. In time, the world came to see this moment for the celebration it was -- two young, successful black men, standing tall, and signifying their transcendence in a time of turmoil and racial strife. You can read the story of that moment, and the aftermath, here.

Smith and Carlos were in Orlando last night to be inducted into the National Consortium for Academics and Sports Hall of Fame, along with Nelson Mandela, who did not attend. My hands shook as I heard about the death threats they and their families faced upon their return home, how they were shunned by the sport they loved, and subjected to the very poverty and hatred they had hoped to help overcome. The third man on the podium that day, Peter Norman, of Australia, though white, was also shunned, for supporting them. He never got over it and died of alcohol-related complications. Smith and Carlos served as pallbearers at his funeral.

I had the pleasure of meeting these fine gentlemen and great Americans. I shook their hands and felt history come alive. In their honor, I'm breaking tradition by running a photo that I didn't take, in hope that it will serve as an inspiration to us all. Please follow the link above and read their story.