By: Corinne Speckert, The Spartan Daily
Posted: 10/20/08
Inema Orukar, a senior electrical engineering major, DeJohn Muhammad, a sophomore justice studies major, and Alex Dunlap, a senior electrical engineering major, entertain students with a stepping routine on the lawn in front of the Smith-Carlos Statue on Thursday.
About 300 people gathered on Tower Lawn on Thursday to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Tommie Smith and John Carlos' black power salute after they won gold and bronze medals respectively in the 200-meter dash at the 1968 Summer Olympics.
"I think what they said opened the gates for humanity," said Ethel Walker, the interim chair of the department of television, radio, film and theatre. "What they said was: Every human being has the right to be treated in a dignified, humane fashion. And that means every human being."
Walker said that although this gathering celebrates two men who fought for change in the past, it's really about the students and activism of today.
"The great thing about Tommie Smith and John Carlos is that they didn't make sacrifices just for the African-American young people that are over here. They made those sacrifices for all of us," she said. "We have a tribute that stands to Tommie Smith and John Carlos, students from San Jose State, who risked their lives to bring attention to those who were left outside of the American Dream. But this legacy celebration should remind us that this is not about the past; it's about the present."
SJSU President Jon Whitmore said this commemoration, by recognizing past leaders who have fought for change, offers great encouragement for students.
"One of the things that we want for students to be is citizens of their communities and of their states and of this nation," he said. "And I think reminding ourselves of the history of some of the people who have stepped forward on this campus before, as examples of people who have made a difference, is a valuable thing for students to be reminded of."
Mark Savage, a senior sociology major, said he thought the celebration of John Carlos and Tommie Smith's efforts could help awaken student activism in a time when it may not be as existent.
"I feel like today, a lot of students are apathetic to social change. So I really feel like this gives students a good message," he said. "(Smith and Carlos) were students just like me, and they stood up, and they made a fight for change, and that change actually progressed to the point where we have the first black candidate for president in our history."
Walker said this commemoration was about students and how they're going to make a change to obtain new rights and preserve the ones we have.
"This election cycle presents all of us with the opportunities to make a stand," she said, "to exercise the right to vote and, above all, to commit to the values and principles that give hope to millions of people. Smith and Carlos have left us a reminder of the price of freedom and it does demand a price. Freedom demands sacrifice. Carlos and Smith dedicated themselves to the journey of finding their place in this universe. The question for all of us has to be, what will your legacy now mean?"
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