Fists of Freedom: The Story of the 1968 Summer Games


The black-gloved, fist-held-high, black-power salute by U.S. Olympic Team members Tommie Smith and John Carlos on the victory stand at Mexico City is one of the most provocative sports moments of the century.

This 60-minute HBO documentary, debuting on August 12th 1999, uses dozens of interviews (Tommie Smith, John Carlos, Lee Evans, Harry Edwards, Bob Beamon, Avery Brundage, Willie Davenport, George Foreman, Dick Fosbury, Bud Greenspan, Bob Hayes, Jim Hines, Rafer Johnson, Marty Liquori, Charlie Mays, Jim McKay, Jesse Owens, Bob Seagren, Phil Shinnick, Bill Toomey, and many more) to explore the forces that combined to produce this indelible image.

Watch the climate as the Olympic Project for Human Rights grows and the media wonders what will transpire next.

There is an amazing amount of footage showing the sprinters from San Jose State, the Olympic Training Camp, and from the 1968 Mexico City games.

This production was recognized by winning the George F. Peabody Award, narration delivered by Liev Schreiber, and music by Brian Keane.

HBO never released this title on video and the only library in the United States that has an "off-air taping" is the Amateur Athletic Foundation Library in Los Angeles, California.

Portions of this production can be found in another HBO presentation, The Journey of the African-American Athlete.
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