Amid racial tension within the American culture, several influential cultural phenomena affected American lives, such as at the 1968 Olympics when black athletes who gave the Black Power fist pose on the winners’ podium were banned for life. According to this occurrence, the 1968 Olympics was the first time a black athlete won a gold medal, gaining the attention of many critics who viewed the victory as a symbol of militant black pride and militancy. At the 1968 Olympics, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, two black athletes, gave the Black Power fist salute on the winners’ podium after winning gold in their respective races. Both men were banned for life from competing in the Olympics. This display was regarded as inappropriate by many American citizens, who disapproved of such attitudes displayed by athletes at the time. The rejection of Black Power raised many controversies because it was an insensitive move by black athletes that looked like they were promoting black militancy rather than celebrating their victory. This occurrence showed the Africa American’s growing influence in American society by showing their athlete’s power and strength in the face of racial discrimination, and they are fighting back through sport.
The contemporary impact of this occurrence is that it affected how Americans view athletes. Black athletes were accused of being militants rather than athletes who deserved to be respected. It also affected the whole black community. The article “Race, Sport, and Sociocognitive ‘Place’ in Higher Education: Black Male Student-Athletes as Critical Theorists” was written by Ketra Armstrong and Michael Jennings. In the article, the authors evaluated the influence of race as a psychological and sociocultural anchor of “place” for African American male student-athletes. Black athletes were no longer acknowledged as human beings but as black people, and African Americans were not given a chance to show their patriotism (Armstrong and Michael 350). Over the years, anyone perceived as having an idea contrary to what most think is proper or best has affected their lives. As a result, most African Americans try to be as moderate as possible to avoid drawing attention to themselves. Kelly Coryell’s article “All Words Matter The Manipulation behind “All Lives Matter “points out racial inequality in American society. The author instead that all lives are equal and that the systematic inequality and oppression of blacks should not exist. According to Coryell, even though African Americans may want to stand up for their beliefs, they are forced to be reserved because they fear being penalized (65).
The 1968 Olympics were not the first time these events took place, but the action that caused an inconvenience was taken. The photo of Smith and Carlos with their raised fists caused a great uproar among Americans because it was considered a statement against white America, including the American Olympic Committee (AOC). The article “Vince Matthews, Wayne Collett, and the Forgotten Disruption in Munich,” written by David Wiggins, talks about how Balck athletes are expected to abide by the expected decorum on the victory stand. The article narrates how during the 1972 Summer Olympic games, Vince Matthews and Wayne Collett, black athletes, were banned from the Olympic games since they refused to act properly when American National Anthem was played. The AOC felt that what Smith and Carlos did was disrespectful because they represented America rather than blacks when they won first place at the Olympics (Wiggins 280). This event significantly impacted their reputation and how they were viewed by the American people (Wiggins 295). The athletes’ actions reflected their disapproval of discrimination practices used on them and other black people in the United States (Fuller 405). Thus, people used to view sports stars as role models, but most changed their opinions after this incident.
There are two fundamental problems with identifying black power within the United States. Marcus Watson wrote the article “White Supremacy’s Horcrux and Why the Black Power Movement Almost Destroyed It.” The author explains how blackness and whiteness were used to create what it means to be human. It led to the white Horcrux, where whiteness reduced blackness to nothing since it was passed as an illusion. The first problem was how black power was spoken of; it lacked respect from the viewpoint of white America (Watson 205). The second problem was if there were true black power leaders. There would have no idea who those people were since black power mainly represented those who did not even know about black power (Watson 210). The effect of identity among several cultures in the United States, such as African-Americans, approved that the Black Power movement began because black athletes were angry at the anti-black racism they experienced within American society and their lack of support within their communities.
The goal of the Black Power movement was to have black people exercise their power within the United States by having a more diverse country, social life, and economic structure for all blacks. The Black Power movement was significant in 1968 because it gave blacks a voice within society and government. The article “Perception or Reality: The Relationship between Stereotypes, Discrimination and the Academic Outcomes of African American Male College Athletes” by Rhema Fuller examines the current stereotype and racial discrimination of Africa American college athletes. In the article, the author concludes that stereotypes and racial discrimination negatively impact the academic achievements of black college athletes. It is the principle that all citizens should have access to and fair opportunity to participate equally in the direction of their own lives (Fuller 410). Black Power movements like Black Lives Matter tried to gain actionable information on changing society because they realized black people had no power in America and their oppression (Coryell 169). Thus, no matter how far the movement has evolved, it continues to be about reclaiming its history and culture.
The advantage of this occurrence is that it led to Gold Medal winners wearing Black Power T-shirts. It allowed black athletes to express their feelings and unite in a unified fashion. Today, many brands attempt to merge with an urban culture by using hip-hop, which is usually associated with the Black Power movement (Watson 215). The merger of branding, technology, and urban culture is occurring because brands feel they need to engage their consumers in an intimate way that would allow them to take advantage of the current trend of Hip Hop (Watson 220). Thus, the Black Power movement was an overall positive effect on American culture because it not only made black people feel heard but also made them feel important.
Black Power is now a symbol of pride, dignity, unity, and power among the black community and other races worldwide. The Black Power movement was about people who had no money but could achieve a lot through their efforts. Furthermore, it was also a movement that changed how people think about black culture and what they wear; in this case, it led to the fashion industry embracing fashion style and trends. This cultural phenomenon within the American culture has also created a new wave of black pride and made African Americans proud of their culture (Watson 230). This cultural phenomenon’s effect on America made the world more aware of black culture and promoted a wave of black pride. Thus, the Black Power movement benefited America because it allowed blacks of their culture and be proud of themselves.
The black power movement for African Americans was very successful because it allowed people to have pride in their own culture and gained them recognition and power within America, which had not existed before this occurrence. In addition, the black power movement was a very effective way of promoting equality in America because it made blacks feel strong and excited about being treated with equality by white society. Furthermore, it also allowed them to express themselves through their fashion style. The black power movement was a big success because the blacks gained recognition.
In addition, the Black Power movement had adverse effects on America because it caused people to be angry and made them feel they were being mistreated. This occurrence caused people to notice black culture and give directions for equality for all races within America. The banning of Smith and Carlos from the Olympics because of their raised fists and black power sign led other athletes of high caliber to be proud of their culture. Furthermore, in an era of protest and unrest, many Blacks took pride in the idea that black people were taking a stand against the discrimination they endured daily. Thus, the Black Power movement was vital because it gave blacks pride and equality in America.
Works Cited
Armstrong, Ketra L., and Michael A. Jennings. “Race, Sport, and Sociocognitive ‘Place’ in Higher Education: Black Male Student-Athletes as Critical Theorists.” Journal of Black Studies, vol. 49, no. 4, 2018, pp. 349-369. Web.
Coryell, Kelly. “All Words Matter The Manipulation behind “All Lives Matter.” “The Norton Field Guide to Writing with Readings (Sixth Edition),” Bullock, Richard, et al. W.W. Norton, 2022, pp. 164-170.
Fuller, Rhema D. “Perception or Reality: The Relationship between Stereotypes, Discrimination, and the Academic Outcomes of African American Male College Athletes.” Journal of Sport and Social Issues, vol. 41, no 5, 2017, pp. 402-424. Web.
Watson, Marcus D. “White Supremacy’s Horcrux and Why the Black Power Movement Almost Destroyed It.” Journal of African American Studies(New Brunswick, N.J.), vol. 26, no. 2, 2022, pp. 221-247. Web.
Wiggins, David K. “Vince Matthews, Wayne Collett, and the Forgotten Disruption in Munich.” The Journal of African American History, vol. 106, no. 2, 2021, pp. 278-303. Web.