Tommie Smith won the gold medal in the 200 meters at the 1968 Summer Olympics and made a protest gesture against racism and injustice towards African-Americans in the US, alongside his teammate John Carlos. The gesture received criticism, but Smith dedicated his life to fighting oppression and racism, completing a bachelor's degree and master's degree and serving as an athletics director and head coach at Oberlin College. He wrote an autobiography titled 'Silent Gesture' and received the ESPYS Arthur Ashe Courage Award in 2008. Smith retired from Santa Monica College in 2005.
