A Conversation with Civil Rights Activist & US Olympian Dr. Tommie Smith

Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, Arkansas Baptist College and Jefferson National Parks Association will host Dr. Tommie Smith on Saturday, September 10 for a program detailing his life and activism around the theme “Silence is Not an Option.” The event, free and open to the public, begins at 6:00 p.m. and will be presented in the Old Main Auditorium on the campus of Arkansas Baptist College (1600 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive) in Little Rock.

At the 1968 Summer Olympics, Smith won the gold medal and broke the track and field world record in the 200m. During the ensuing medal stand ceremony, Smith and his teammate, bronze medalist John Carlos, raised their fists in a silent protest to the racial inequality and poverty afflicting African Americans in the United States. Denounced by the International Olympic Committee and sent home from Mexico City by the United States Olympic Committee, Smith and Carlos were ostracized by the media, harassed by the FBI, and excluded from employment and other financial opportunities in the aftermath of their demonstration.

Today, Dr. Smith continues to speak and raise the level of dialogue on human rights issues in the wake of the recent social unrest and protests across the United States.

For more information on this event, contact Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site at 501.374.1957 or Edmond Davis, Arkansas Baptist College Director of Career Services, at 501.420.1343 or edmond.davis@arkansasbaptist.edu.

Fees

This event is free to attend.

Location

Old Main Auditorium on the campus of Arkansas Baptist College (1600 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Drive) in Little Rock

Latitude and Longitude 34.734712, -92.290006

Schedule

Contact Information

Edmond Davis
501.420.1343
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Event Type

• Living History
• Other
• Partner Program
• Talk