Peter’s Norman was the greatest 200m sprinter Australia has ever seen; and yet, that is not what he is most famous for. Most of the world knows him for the stand he took at the 1968 Mexico Olympics, captured in this photo. ??‍♂️??‍♂️??‍♂️⁣
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In the midst of racial unrest across most parts of the world, Peter stood with Tommie Smith and John Carlos when they decided to use the winners podium as their chance to take a stand against the oppression their people were facing in USA. ?? ⁣
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The backlash that Peter faced back in Australia was immense. He was cut from the Olympic team and the whole country turned on him, demanding he apologise. He consistently refused to do so. ?⁣
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Addressing the situation, Peter said: “I couldn’t see why a black man couldn’t drink the same water from a water fountain, take the same bus or go to the same school as a white man. There was a social injustice that I couldn’t do anything for from where I was, but I certainly hated it. It has been said that sharing my silver medal with that incident on the victory dais detracted from my performance. On the contrary. I have to confess, I was rather proud to be part of it.” ?⁣
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Only in 2012 did the Australian Parliament approve a motion to formally apologize to Peter Norman and rewrite him into history. ?⁣
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He is an inspiration to us here at Foxglove and a reminder of the importance to always stand for what we believe in, no matter what criticism or hardship comes our way! ?⁣