Community Corner
John Carlos to Speak in Palm Desert
The controversial former Olympic sprinter and human rights activist will speak of his experiences on Wednesday.
Olympic medallist, author and human rights activist John Carlos will speak Wednesday on the Cal State San Bernardino Palm Desert campus.
He’ll be speaking about his experience competing and being expelled from the 1968 Summer Olympics and his personal fight for civil rights. During those Olympic Games, Carlos finished third in the 200 meters behind teammate Tommie Smith and Australia’s Peter Norman. During the medal ceremony, Carlos and Smith raised clenched fists in a black Power salute, in support of the fight against African-American poverty in the United States.
Carlos and Smith were both immediately suspended from the Olympic team and banned from the Olympic village for the political gesture.
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Since then, Carlos has become a campaigner for human rights around the world and helped organize the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. In 1985, he became an in-school counselor and track and field coach at Palm Springs High. In 2003, Carlos was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.
The event at the Indian Wells Theatre begins at 5:00p.m. Admission to the event is free, parking is $5.00.
