Three Proud People Mexico 68

This mural next to Macdonaldtown station was completed a couple of decades ago in time for the Sydney Olympics. It reproduces a photo of the Black Power civil rights protest at the Mexico Olympics in 1968.

At the medal ceremony following the 200m race Tommie Smith (USA, gold) and John Carlos (USA, bronze) raised their black-gloved fists and lowered their heads during the American national anthem. Peter Norman (Australia, silver) stood with them. All three wore Olympic Project for Human Rights badges.

Smith and Carlos were expelled from the games and Norman reprimanded. All faced enormous criticism. “I believe in civil rights”, Peter Norman said at the time. “Every man is born equal and should be treated as a human being”.

The two Americans were pallbearers at Peter Norman’s funeral in 2006. Six years later the Australian parliament formally apologised for the treatment he’d received, acknowledged his bravery in wearing a human rights badge in solidarity with Smith and Carlos and recognised his role in furthering racial equality.

The mural was visible from trains passing through Macdonaldtown until the station was upgraded. Now it can only be seen from Leamington Lane, but it is heritage-protected.

(I’ve switched the photos around.)