Super Short Summary

In Something in the Air: American Passion and Defiance in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, Richard Hoffer recounts the story of the 1968 Olympics, focusing on African American athletes using the Games as a civil rights platform, especially sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who famously gave a black power salute. Starting from this iconic moment, Hoffer traces its origins back to San Jose State University, the activism of Harry Edwards, and the political context of 1968, culminating in the powerful, controversial stand by Smith and Carlos amidst a backdrop of other significant athletic achievements and political events. The book explores themes of inequality, activism, and the intersection of sports and politics within a tumultuous historical period.