The John Carlos Story

2012 NAACP Image Award Nominee for Outstanding Literary Work—Biography/Autobiography

"A powerful and poignant memoir."—Cornel West, from the foreword

"John Carlos is an American hero. And finally he has written a memoir to tell us his story—and a powerful story it is. I couldn't put this book down."—Michael Moore

Seen around the world, John Carlos and Tommie Smith's Black Power salute on the 1968 Olympic podium sparked controversy and career fallout. Yet their show of defiance remains one of the most iconic images of Olympic history and the Black Power movement. Here is the remarkable story of one of the men behind the salute, lifelong activist John Carlos.

John Carlos is a former track and field athlete and professional football player, and a founding member of the Olympic Project for Human Rights. He won the bronze medal in the 200-meter race at the 1968 Olympics, where his Black Power salute on the podium with Tommie Smith caused much political controversy.

Dave Zirin is the author of four books, including Bad Sports: How Owners are Ruining the Games We Love, A Peoples' History of Sports in the United States, and What's My Name, Fool?

Contents
Foreword by Cornel West • ix
Preface by Dave Zirin • xi
Introduction: To Sleep with Anger • 1
One: Harlem World • 5"
Two: Street Level Protest: You Have Forty-Eight Hours . . .• 33"
Three: Trouble in Texas • 59
Four: 1968 • 77
Five: The Medal Stand • 103
Six: The Unraveling • 129
Seven: Efforts at Resurrection • 155
Eight: Save Your Redemption • 167
Afterword by Dave Zirin • 175
Appendix: John W. Carlos’s Track and Field Records