A Concept of Blackness: Dr. John Carlos, Olympic Legend and Revolutionary

University of Cape Coast, Center for African and International Studies, Ghana, an eventful night November 5, 2025, 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., with an extraordinary Man-- Dr. John Carlos, United States 1968 Olympics, Mexico City.

However, Carlos is not your usual U.S. Olympic bronze medallist, but an astounding revolutionary and author (‘The John Carlos Story: The Sports Moment That Changed the World’).

Carlos is one of several determined Black/Africa revolutionaries in the 1960s, and some still today forging ahead Black Upliftment, Black Economic empowerment, and trying to maintain the gains of the Civil Rights movement, and further the global Pan African Movement.

That night at the Graduate Studies Seminar Room, UCC, Carlos had a discussion with students, parents, families, community activists, and educators, enlightening everyone on his activism beginnings and what it all meant to him and at that time in history. Plain talk.

We came to understand how Carlos’ actions were not only about the October 16, 1968 Olympic podium that day with Tommy Smith, we learned it was the climax of another strategic move.

Carlos further explained where it all started, his experiences and the events that transpired prior to the Olympic podium, and his meetings of several Black Revolutionaries –from Malcolm X and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King to Adam Clayton Powell and Ambassador Andrew Young. Carlos attended their gatherings, he became more conscious, and a part of the movements for Black upliftment during that era, and still involved today.

“A concept of Blackness”, standing on the Olympic podium Black-gloved fists raised, John Carlos and Tommie Smith. A symbolic revolt against the oppression of white supremacy, and a profound and powerful statement of dissatisfaction, with a purpose to make a positive revolutionary impact that helped bring about a global change.

Carlos discussed how his activism was for Black upliftment and the Pan African Movement, included within those movement the struggle for Blue-collar workers--

Carlos and Smith’s “symbolism” --the black socks, no shoes worn on the Olympic podium representative of poverty and oppression. The black sweater worn open on the Olympic podium was representative of the “shames of America”, which Carlos framed the shortcomings of a supposedly developed nation, which he explained—at a time when America was sending astronauts to the moon, but could not at that time do away with the rodent infestation in New York City.

Sankofa-ism.
Many of the older generation remember the fearless stance against oppression Carlos and Tommy took that October 1968 day, and growing youth later learned what they had witnessed and came to understand, and youth today are learning this lesson.

In 1968, Mexico City, many in the Olympic stands and the television audience were not aware of what was about to happen that day. Of course, the masses were taken by surprise, and yet afterwards completely understood the surprise.

More so, many Black/African people identified with John Carlos and Tommie Smith stance, especially after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, which several U.S. cities were burned, Jim Crowism still blanketed the country, at the time robed Klu Klux Klans were freer to run amuck; and South Africa’s British Queen Elizabeth provided support to P. W. Botha in enforcing an ongoing Apartheid system that began in 1948 --all still in play on the ‘global chessboard’.

As he proceeded to conclude, Carlos, a respected senior elder, posed a stern question to the audience—what are we doing for ourselves? And he further stated and repeated “We can’t win a game if you don’t know you’re in the game”. Ase’

Much appreciation to the sponsors of the Dr. Carlos UCC event:

• The Real Ghana Foundation LBG
• Oasis Beach Resort
• KoSa Beach Resort
• The Adinkra Group
• Chateau Nana Wilihene Hotel

Emcee:

• Mr. Morris Biggers, Founder, The Real GH Foundation

References:
“A concept of Blackness” ‘African Global Ourstory: An Introduction to African & African Diaspora Studies’ by Dr. K. Makeda Muhammad

YouTube film: ‘White Supremacy Is Like A Game of Chess: Black Side & White Side’, Interview: Dr. Frances Cress Welsing,

https://youtu.be/bMPjiFTFkSE?si=HWOepDWl8NJJlC8X; and author of ‘The Isis Papers: The Keys to the Colors

John Carlos, Tommie Smith, Peter Norman 1968 - Wikimedia Commons, Retrieved November 7, 2025. In the Public Domain; no changes made.

Dr. K. Makeda Muhammad is a ‘Repatriate’ a returnee to Africa via Ghana in 2011. Dr. Makeda’s field of study is Black Studies; she is an Educator, Author, Recipient of the MACPRI Helping Hands Award, Recipient of the EDUCOM Award, Recipient of the Abibitumi and Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey Foundation Citation, Pan Africanist, Community Activist, and Social media Freedom Fighter.