The John Carlos Story

John Carlos, the man behind the most iconic moment of the Black Power movement, tells his story. Seen around the world, John Carlos and Tommie Smith's Black Power salute on the 1968 Olympic podium sparked controversy and career fallout. Yet their show of defiance remains one of the most iconic images of Olympic history and the Black power movement. Now John Carlos tells his own version of the story, in conjunction with Dave Zirin, author of the groundbreaking People's History of Sports in the United States (The New Press, 2009, available from Turnaround). Carlos' eye-opening and immensely readable autobiography finally introduces the man behind the salute.

Seen around the world, John Carlos and Tommie Smith's Black Power salute on the 1968 Olympic podium sparked controversy and career fallout. Yet their show of defiance remains one of the most iconic images of Olympic history. Here, John Carlos tells his own version of the story. Written in collaboration with Dave Zirin, author of the groundbreaking People's History of Sports in the United States (The New Press, 2009 - Turnaround), his eye-opening and immensely readable autobiography finally introduces readers to the man behind the salute.