Exclusive Interview with the Olympian athlete: Dr. John Carlos Ph. D. Dr. John Wesley Carlos

John Carlos’ childhood dream was about to become becoming an Olympic swimmer, but because of racism, he was prevented from practicing in NYC area pools. However, he didn’t let this shattered his dream of turning out to be being an Olympian. Hence, Carlos therefore became was a track and field athlete and professional football player. He got won the Bronze-medal in the 200 meters at the 1968 Summer Olympics on October 16. After the race, hHe and gold medalist Tommie Smith raised their fists in a is Black Power salute on the podium, while wearing Olympic Project for Human Right (OPHR) badges, which with Tommie Smith who won the Gold medal (at the time) provoked one of the largest tremendous political controversiesy, one of the biggest in the history of the Olympic Gamess’ history. Hence, Gold medalist Tommie Smith and Bronze medalist John Carlos raised their fist on the dais after the abovementioned race wearing Olympic Project for Human Right (OPHR) badges. The third athlete was Silver medalist Peter Norman from Australia who also wore an OPHR badge to show his support for the two Americans. The athletes chose an international platform to protest and make sure that their grievances would not be ignored. Around the time of thise Olympics in Mexico City, there were the student protests, riots, and shootings in the capital.

Prior to the podium event, Carlos became a founding member of the OPHR (led by sprinters Tommie Smith, Lee Evans and professor Harry Edwards) and originally advocated a boycott of the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games if a minimum of four conditions were not met: the withdrawal of South Africa (that was readmitted in the Olympics on February of 1968) and Rhodesia from the games (South Africa was later readmitted to the Olympics in February 1968), the restitution of Muhammad Ali’s world heavyweight boxing title, the removal of Avery Brundage as president of the IOC (International Olympic Committee), and the hiring of more African-American assistant coaches. Regarding the described potential boycottHowever, it became was difficult to convince many athletes to stay home—even if several prominent Black athletes supported the boycott, including Bill Russell, Jim Brown, and Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). As tThe boycott failed to gain popularity achieve sustenance after the IOC withdrew invitations for Rhodesia and South Africa (on April 21^st 1968) and Rhodesia, Carlos decided, together with Smith, to participate but to stage a protest in case he received a medal.

After their remonstration, Smith and Carlos were kicked out of the Olympic village and were extensively condemned. They lost friends and job opportunities, but they were greeted for their social conscience at San Jose State, where then-president Robert Clark qualified them "honorable young men." Noteworthily, Carlos and Smith were not alone in Mexico City, on the medal stand podium or off it. The US Olympic team backed them, including the all-White Harvard crew team, and who released a serious denunciation of racism in America in defense of their action.

The men's statement had lingering consequences for all three athletes.

Peter Norman was chastised by his country's Olympic authorities and shut out by the Australian media. He was not picked for the 1972 Summer Olympics, despite having qualified more than 13 times over. Back home, Smith and Carlos were subject to psychological assaults. In addition, they received death threats (that though these occurred even before the silent gesture). This concerned also their family members.

Athletes like John Carlos, Tommie Smith, and Muhammad Ali paved the way for current Black athletes. These sportsmen were athletically superior and conscious of international ly-politicsally conscious. They were socially and economically casted out for decades after they took a stand. It traumatized shook negatively their families, especially for Dr. Dr. Carlos’ first wife who killed herself nine years after the Olympic protest, which. This led John Carlos to a period of depression.

For a long time, it was very difficult for Carlos to find a decent job. As soon as his employers found out who he was and what he did in 1968, he got was fired instantly, like as if he had a criminal record. In other words, he became a persona non grata for many potential and actual employers and potential ones. On May 10th 1999Years later, Dr. Carlos became an ISS (In School Suspension Supervisor) at Palm Springs High School since May 10th 1999. In addition, he worked as a coach for track and field.

Noteworthily, 1968 was a tumultuous heavy year, featuring. pPolitical assassinations, urban riots, and underground battles occurred. Dr. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were killed, and. rRiots emerged in dozens of American cities following the assassinations.

In 1968, the Kerner Commission, gave the authoritative direction to investigate the 1967 riots and surmised that America was “moving toward two societies, one black, one white—separate and unequal”. This national report on the civil unrest was commissioned by then President Lyndon B. Johnson. The creation of jobs, construction the building of new housing, and the hiring of more Blacks in mainstream media were among the social prescriptions of the report.
Black capitalists such as Russell Goings expected Wall Street to have a key role in leveling the playing field, as much as any government faction.

It is important to note that sSince his teenage years, activism was important to Carlos. He was fearless and courageous at a very young age, and. Future rreaders will can discover to what extent in his autobiography entitled The John Carlos Story. The His early experiences moulded and equipped Carlos him for the biggest possible stage, the 1968 Olympic Games. Even since his childhood, Thus, Carlos hasn’t been wasn’t afraid to stand up for his beliefssince his childhood to stand up for his beliefs. When he became a Black Robin Hood, a detective who suspected his illegal activities took the time to speak to him and his companions. The detectiveThis man made Carlos realise that he had a gift for running and that he should seriously consider a career in track and field instead of before he would be getting in trouble with the law. Carlos’ story makes me think of Louis Armstrong, who developed his musical gift when he ended up in a home for delinquents, or James Brown, who also crafted his skills as an entertainer when he was in prison during his formative years.

After the Olympics, Dr. Dr. Carlos went on to tie the world record in the 100 yard dash in 9.1s at Fresno in 1969, and to beat the 200 meters world record (although the latter accomplishment was never ratified). He won the AAU 220-yard run and led San Jose State to its first NCAA championship with triumphs in the 100 and 220, and also as a member of the 4x110-yard relay. After his track career, he played briefly in the 1970 National Football League Draft and Canadian Football League where he played one season for the Montreal Alouettes and the Toronto Argonauts. He had to retire due to injury. Later, he worked for Puma, and. aAfter , he became involved with the United States Olympic Committee and collaborated with the 1984 Summer Olympics. In 1985, Carlos started to work as a counselor and in-school suspension supervisor, as well as a track and field coach, at Palm Springs High School (as mentioned) in California, where he still lives today.

In terms of education, Dr. Carlos studied at East Texas State University on a track-and-field scholarship that he earned as a gifted athlete. Later, he went to San Jose State University where he was trained by future National Track & Field Hall of Fame coach, Lloyd Winter.

People have acclaimed Carlos in different ways. TAbout honors, the best-selling 1974 album Livet är en fest by Swedish progg band Nationalteatern includes a song titled "Mr. John Carlos", which narrates the events at the 1968 medal award ceremony and the subsequent hardships of Dr. Dr. Carlos. The latter was introduced into the USA Track & Field Hall of Fame in 2003. In Australia, an airbrushed mural of the three Olympic sprinters on the podium was painted in 2000 in the inner-city suburb of Newtown in Sydney. Silvio Offria, who allowed an artist known only as "Donald" to paint the mural on his house in Leamington Lane, said that Peter Norman came to see the fresco before he passed away in 2006. He added: : "He came and had his photo taken, and he was very happy." The monochrome tribute, inscribed "THREE PROUD PEOPLE - MEXICO 68," is now listed as an item of an important heritage.

The Olympians John Carlos and companion Olympian Tommie Smith obtained honorary Ph.D.’s from CSU in 2008 and from San Jose State University in 2012, and from CSU in 2008 both in Hhumanity. Together, they received the 2008 (on July 16^th) Arthur Ashe Courage Award for their silent gesture. A statue that depicted the 1968 silent gesture was built at San Jose State University and . It was designed by an innovative multimedia artist named Rigo 23. The monument possesses a fiberglass body and steel structure covered by bronze, standing on a concrete facsimile of the Mexico City medal podium. The facial portraits likenesses of the athletes are were captured by three-dimensional scanning technology. with Their gloved fists and socks were painted black. Dr. Dr. Carlos also appeared momentarily in The Simpsons episode My Mother the Carjacker on the podium wearing a black glove. The cover art for the song "HiiiPoWeR" by American rapper Kendrick Lamar showcases a cropped photo of the salute. A 90 minute Australian documentary was -produced with the title "Salute".

The 2008 Sydney Film Festival presented a documentary concerning the protest entitled Salute. The film was written, directed and produced by Matt Norman, a nephew of Peter Norman. On 9 July 2008, BBC Four showcased a documentary, Black Power Salute, by Geoff Small, regarding the protest.

Dr. Dr. Carlos is still an pursued his activisstm. On October 10, 2011, he spoke and raised his fist at Occupy Wall Street. He said "Today I am here for you. Why? Because I am you. We’re here forty-three years later because there’s a fight still to be won. This day is not for us but for our children to come.” The following day he was invited to MSNBC and Current TV's Countdown with Keith Olbermann.

Dr. Dr. Carlos and sportswriter Dave Zirinis are the authors of his the page- turner memoir,, with sportswriter Dave Zirin, of The John Carlos Story: The Sports Moment That Changed the World, published in 2011 by Haymarket Books. It received a nomination in 2012 for the NAACP IMAGE AWARDS as an Outstanding Literary Work (—Biography/Autobiography). Future rReaders will find an excellent Foreward to the book written by the renowned scholar Dr. Dr. Cornel West Ph.D., and a great Preface to it by Dave Zirin. The John Carlos Story gives insight to one of the greatest moments in sports history, which is still being studied in classes today.

Dr. Carlos’ The autobiography of Dr. Carlos is about: happiness, pain, trepidation, aspiration, uncertainty, hope, anger, and love, among other themes. John Carlos does not present himself in his books as being a squeaky-high-pitched clean and picture- perfect person since his formative years from the cradle until adulthood. Celebrities Well-known people such as the filmmaker Michael Moore and the Reverend Jesse Jackson praised Carlos’ memoir.

Dr. Dr. Carlos also collaborated with CD Jackson Jr. for on the compelling authorized biography entitled Why?, published in 2000 by both men. The book delves into the childhood events that steered Carlos to the silent gesture that garnered the world’s-wide attention—and the grave aftermaths which ensued. It is an authentic story of victory, determination, and principle, and that is valuable for any individual who has a thirst for knowledge about world history, an interest in sports and human rights. In Why? readers learn valuable information regarding historical events, such as the fact that 116, 000 African-American soldiers perished in World War I. The biography provides a great perspective of how sport, history and politics are intertwined with social ramifications.

Why? is a special and unique book, featuring. We read the thoughts of several members of’ John Carlos’s family, including his children. So, Why? is not only about John Carlos’s story, but also gives his loved ones an who had the opportunity to voice their opinion. This which is very important especially because of the impact Carlos’ path had an impact on his family. In his memoir and Why, Dr. Dr. Carlos doesn’t talk about the loss of his son, who was murdered, probably perhaps because it was too painful.

Hence, tThe experiences that shaped John Carlos are intensely described by the CD Jackson’s authorized biography. It The book brings to life the inner and external battles that Carlos experienced since his childhood, and later as a young athlete who had to combat both racism and a learning disorder, dyslexia. The fortitude of his personality and strong beliefs in equality and justice predominated over his wish for personal success. This same His grit was invaluable to him held up throughout his life, when personal tragedy hit him repetitively. Thus, John Carlos is indoubtably a resilient and courageous man. He went has been through a lot, both before and after the Mexico City event. As mentioned, his first wife Kim killed herself in 1977 circa about ten years after the 1968 Olympic, because . tThe social/economic consequences (death threats, ostracism, unemployment, etc.) had took taken a toll on her. He managed to raise his three children despites all the difficulties that occurred. The authorized biography exposes all of these events.

As stated, at an early age, John Carlos started to be act as an activist in school and other social spheres, such as housing. He took bold, upright stands against bigotry and inequity. It is important to mention that his the dyslexic diagnosis was given to himdone to Dr. Carlos during the segregation era. It would have been very interesting to know if he would be given the same diagnosisthe same conclusion regarding a learning disability would occur if tests adapted to the reality of African-Americans would have had been administeredused, such as the tools developed by Dr. Dr. Robert Williams Ph.D., a founding member of the Association of Black Psychologists and creator of who created the Black Intelligence Test of Cultural Homogeneity (BITCH).

In summary, Dr. Dr. Carlos’ books narrate stories of major athletic victories, and as well as smaller, but no less important, triumphs against daily injustices. Readers also learn (among other events) about his conversations with Malcolm X and the meetings at his mosque for five years. This is a poignant sentence that Carlos sharesd about Malcolm X: : “He challenged the legitimacy and seriousness of either of the two dominant political parties to take the realities of racism seriously.” In addition, Carlos deeply regrets not having been present at the Audubon Ballroom the day Malcolm was shot. Dr. Dr. Carlos’ books should be translated into several languages: : French, Spanish, etc.

Overall, Dr. Dr. Carlos was the Gold medalist for the 200 meters with 20.s5s at the 1967 Pan American Games in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and., aAs abovementioned, he won the Bronze medal at the 1968 Olympics for the 200 meters. The 1968 event, where three athletes decided to make a powerful silent gesture on the international stage, became the most silent protest in the history of the Olympics. The three athletes decided to make a powerful silent gesture on the international stage. The famous picture of the Olympic 1968 event was taken by photographer John Dominis^. The image and the symbolism of the picture spoke speaks volumes and said says much more than any words ever could.

In 1982, Carlos was employed by the Organizing Committee for the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles to market the games and operate as the liaison with the city's Black community. In 1985, he started to work as a track and field coach at Palm Springs High School. Since 2012, Carlos has beenfunctions as a counselor at the school.

It is important to note that in every October since 1968, during times of both sunshine and rain, Dr. Dr. Carlos always gets a smile on his face. October marks the anniversary of his emancipation. Dr. Dr. Carlos’ mantra is: : “Stand up for what you believe in, even if it means standing alone”.

Dr. Dr. Carlos plans to retire, but he wants to remain involved in issues of social justice for the rest of his life. Currently, Dr. Dr. John Carlos is happily married to Charlene Carlos and lives with her in California.