Final answer:
Black athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos made history at the 1968 Olympic Games by raising their fists in a Black Power salute during the medal ceremony, symbolizing support for civil rights and resistance against oppression.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the summer Olympic Games in 1968, a significant event took place when two Black American athletes, Tommie Smith and John Carlos, stood on the medal podium and raised their black-gloved fists in a silent protest for equality. This gesture was seen as both support for the oppressed and a resistance to the culture perpetuating such oppression. It has since been referred to as the 1968 Olympics Black Power salute. Smith, the gold medalist, and Carlos, the bronze medalist, used this global sports stage to respond to human rights violations and civil rights issues in the United States.
Smith later articulated that the black-gloved fist was a symbol for all those who have endured oppression. This moment is one reflection of a broader spectrum where sports and athletic figures have intersected with social and political matters, advocating for change and challenging societal norms. Their demonstration is an enduring image of defiance and a call for equal rights that parallels other actions by influential figures such as Jackie Robinson in baseball and Alice Coachman in the Olympic Games.