If you've done the right thing and haven't disrespected anyone and you believe that you can make a significant change for society for the better you should take the initiative to do that, in the 51 years that have passed I think we've come to the realization that hey man we have to be a lot more open eyed.

John Carlos

Categorized in : Sports

I think society had to grow up to the mentality of Peter Norman.

John Carlos

peter growing-up thinking

Peter Norman's a man's man.

John Carlos

peter men

As a kid growing up and seeing so much strife taking place in society, and particularly on Blacks and people of color, I had an opportunity as a young man to witness the change that was taking place in Harlem, the exodus of white folks leaving Harlem, which I thought was a very cohesive situation. But they felt that they needed to leave.

John Carlos

growing-up opportunity kids

Fortunately for me, I was able to see the newspaper and saw that they were hiring in a new program called the Cedar Program, and I recall going to one of my Olympic buddies and saying, "Hey, man, this might be a shot in the arm for us. Let's go down and apply for these Cedar jobs."I took a job as a gardener caretaker.

John Carlos

cedars jobs men

Rosie Grier was the springboard to the return of my life.

John Carlos

springboards rosie return

I'm not too proud to do any job to support my family.

John Carlos

support proud jobs

Yet and still, Peter Norman took into account that the aboriginals were suffering just as much in Australia as Blacks in the United States were suffering.

John Carlos

united-states australia suffering

Peter Norman is a humanitarian, and I say "is" because in my life, Peter Norman is never deceased. He's always going to live with me.

John Carlos

deceased peter humanitarian

[Peter Norman] was a man of principle and pride, had a strong moral character.

John Carlos

strong pride character

I think Peter Norman recuperated in the sense that people who knew who Peter Norman was, he built his character around the legacy of his family, in terms of what they taught him about equality and justice for all.

John Carlos

justice-for-all character thinking

[Peter Norman]was born and raised under the auspices of his mom and dad being involved in the Salvation Army. He believed in humanity. At all costs, he believed in humanity.

John Carlos

dad army mom

I was a pallbearer. I felt, when I got the call that Peter had died, I didn't have any bank account, but I felt I needed to start walking then because there was no way in the world I would miss Peter Norman's service.

John Carlos

missing way world

He took a stance as a man, and the greatest thing about Peter Norman is when you sit back and think about Tommie Smith and John Carlos here in America, they could go beat up on Tommie Smith and get tired of beating up on him and go to the other side of town and find John Carlos and beat up on him, but when Peter Norman left and went to Australia, there was no switch-off on Peter.

John Carlos

tired men thinking

It took some time for us to realize that [people] didn't particularly say they didn't like us or have the love for us that they had in the past, nor the respect. I think they chose to leave based on the fact that they felt a reprisal for being associated or having a friendship with John Carlos or Tommie Smith, or Peter Norman, for that matter.

John Carlos

people past thinking

It's many things that she had to deal with, and she got to the point where [my wife] didn't know what to believe anymore and she just didn't care to live her life anymore. I think it was devastating at that particular time, and it's even more devastating today as we grow older.

John Carlos

wife believe thinking

My kids going to school and teachers denying my kids the grades that they should have once they found out that I was their father.

John Carlos

teacher father school

Muhammad Ali, the Jim Browns, the Bill Russells, Kareem [Abdul Jabbar ], these individuals supported us, but yet still, when you sit back and say the coverage that was done relative to their support was very shallow.

John Carlos

bills support done

Peter [Norman] never vacated from himself as to who he was.

John Carlos

peter

Let me say this loud and clear : No regrets whatsoever. No regrets whatsoever, one more time : no regrets whatsoever.

John Carlos

sports

I earned my right to be on that victory stand. No one was out there in the mornings when I was training... I trained to represent this country, to go to the Olympics, based on my commitment to the program and my spiritual belief in God... that 15 minutes of fame( on the podium) I had to do what I feel is the right thing to do.

John Carlos

sports