Olympic Project for Human Rights
The Olympic Project for Human Rights (OPHR) is a black human rights organization from the United States that was founded in the fall of 1967 by black sports and sociology professor Harry Edwards ( San José State University ).
Among the most famous members were the multiple world record holder in athletics Tommie Smith and the bronze medalist of Mexico John Carlos , who stood on the podium in Mexico with a wooden chain, which was supposed to remind of slavery, an olive branch and the so-called Black Panther fist against demonstrated racism.
In 1968 the organization called on all black athletes to boycott the Mexico Olympics.
The central demands of the OPHR included:
- 1. The return of the world title to Muhammad Ali .
The boxing world champion had previously been stripped of the title because he had refused military service.
- 2. The removal of IOC President Avery Brundage .
He was criticized for his commitment to the United States' participation in the 1936 Olympic Games in the Third Reich .
- 3. The exclusion of the apartheid states of South Africa and Rhodesia from the games.
literature
- Silent Gesture: The Autobiography of Tommie Smith. Temple University Press, 2007, ISBN 978-1-59213-639-1 .
- John Gettings: Civil Disobedience. Black medallists raise fists for Civil Rights Movement. (on-line)
- Dave Zirin: What's My Name, Fool? ' Sports and Resistance in the United States.
- Dave Zirin: Redeeming the Olympic Martyrs of 1968.
- Michael Hahn: Black Power . Olympic Games, Mexico 1968. In: concrete. Issue 8, 2008.
- Stefan Frank: Muchos muertos. The Olympic boycott and the Tlatelolco massacre. In: concrete. Issue 8, 2008.
photos
Web links
- Martin Krauss Two fists, a scandal. on: Spiegel online.