John Carlos, Ph. D. Oral History Interview: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

The oral history consists of nine digital files: 2011.174.103.1a, 2011.174.103.1b, 2011.174.103.1c, 2011.174.103.1d, 2011.174.103.1e, 2011.174.103.1f, 2011.174.103.1g, 2011.174.103.1h, 2011.174.103.1i.

John Carlos, Ph. D. discusses his childhood in Harlem, New York, the changes that he saw in Harlem with the widespread use of heroin and the splintering of families, and describes the disparities in education for black children when he was growing up. He remembers the influence of black leaders including Marcus Garvey, Malcolm X, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Carlos was recruited to run track at East Texas State University, where he experienced racial discrimination and was treated poorly by his coach. He explains his protest at the 1968 Olympics, including the symbols that he and Tommie Smith employed to protest racial discrimination, and he describes the emotional impact that the protest had on him.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: August 18, 2013
• Subject of: Civil Rights History Project, American, founded 2009
• Interview of: John Carlos, American, born 1945
• Interviewed by: David P. Cline Ph. D., American, born 1969
• Subject of: Marcus Garvey, Jamaican, 1887 - 1940
• Subject of: Malcolm X, American, 1925 - 1965
• Subject of: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., American, 1929 - 1968
• Subject of: East Texas State University, American, founded 1889
• Subject of: Tommie Smith, American, born 1944
• Type: video recordings
• Type: oral histories
• Type: digital media - born digital
• Medium: digital
• Dimensions: Duration: 2 hr., 6 min., 42 sec.
• Dimensions: Total: 211.01 GB
• Place collected: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Place depicted: Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Place depicted: Mexico City, Mexico, Latin America, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Activism
• Topic: American South
• Topic: Athletes
• Topic: Black power
• Topic: Children
• Topic: Civil Rights
• Topic: Education
• Object number: 2011.174.103.1a-i
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in partnership with the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture and The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.