Story of the Salute

At the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos stood on the medal podium and raised black-gloved fists during the U.S. national anthem. Beside them stood Australian silver medalist Peter Norman, who wore an Olympic Project for Human Rights badge in solidarity.

Nearly 58 years later, athletes representing those same two countries met again on a global sporting stage when the United States played Australia in Seattle on Juneteenth.

That connection became the starting point for The Story of the Salute at the Northwest African American Museum.

The exhibition traces the lives of Smith, Carlos and Norman beyond the photograph that became known around the world. It also tells the story of sociologist Harry Edwards, whose work helped establish the Olympic Project for Human Rights and shaped the movement surrounding the 1968 Games.

Visitors could explore what led to the salute, the consequences the athletes faced and the influence their actions had on conversations about race, sport and athlete activism for generations to come.

A replica Olympic podium and other interactive elements invited visitors to consider a question for themselves: Who do you salute to?

The Story of the Salute premiered at NAAM on June 17, two days before Seattle hosted USA vs. Australia on Juneteenth.

SeattleFWC26 supported the exhibition as part of its broader Juneteenth Match Day programming. Nearly 58 years after Tommie Smith, John Carlos and Peter Norman shared an Olympic podium, athletes representing the United States and Australia were back on an international sporting stage together, this time in Seattle.

The exhibition remained at NAAM through August 2, giving World Cup visitors and local residents the chance to explore the history behind that connection.