Slavery in the United States was a violent regime built on the systemic dehumanization of enslaved Black people. White slaveholders stripped Black people of their humanity to make the otherwise unquestionably horrific treatment of them socially acceptable. Given this, it is entirely unreasonable to expect the enslaved to have nevertheless respected the humanity of their […]
Tag: Civil Rights Movement
Black Glove, Raised Fist; Bowed Head, Bent Knee: Historical Parallels of Political Protest in Sports
It was the medal ceremony for the men’s 200-meter sprint at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico. American sprinters, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, stood on the podium to receive their medals, but something was off in their appearance. On their feet, they had on black socks, but no shoes, and on their hands they […]