peter norman

I learned today that Australian athlete Peter Norman died on Oct. 3rd. He was the man who spoke of himself as "the white guy in the picture" there. He won the silver medal for 200 meters at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, and his time still stands as the Australian national record.
There is a statue on the San Jose State University campus commemorating the 1968 protest, because Tommie Smith and John Carlos were San Jose State student athletes and activists.
The silver medalist's spot is left empty. Peter Norman suggested that. The inscription reads: "Fellow athlete Australian Peter Norman stood here in solidarity. Take a stand." Anyone who wants can climb up and try it out.
At the unveiling of the statue in October 2005 I heard Peter Norman speak for the first time. Until then I hadn't considered his part of the story, even though the image from the Olympics in Mexico City is very powerful for me. I guess I just never really saw him.

During the ceremony I learned of his support in 1968, and of the deep respect Smith and Carlos felt for him. Peter Norman was funny, sincere, and humble, and what he did was very brave.

Smith and Carlos were pallbearers at Norman's funeral on Oct. 9. See that's another picture now.
I was 7 years old in 1968. I was a small white girl, and everyone around me was white. I had no experience of racism. I remember seeing the images from Mexico City on TV. Without understanding I still somehow got the point of the silent protest, because the dignity of it was clear to me.

I remember asking why everybody was so angry. None of the answers or explanations I was given made any sense to me. I think I was shaped by that, by that lack of understanding. I am grateful for it. It still doesn't make sense to me. And that's because it's wrong to attach value to skin color.