Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice

“The only thing that mattered was that moment. There was anxiety, and yes, I was afraid. But most of all there was determination racing through my veins like ice-cold water.”

In many instances, the text of the graphic memoir connects Tommie Smith’s activism with his intensity in athletics: One informs the other. Here, Tommie’s desire to win his Olympic race could also be read as his resolve to stand and protest on the podium. In moments like these, the theme of The Struggle for Equal Rights and Treatment of Black Activists is interwoven with the theme of Using Sports to Persevere. In both cases, Tommie, as the narrator, sees this moment as a way to fulfill his destiny.

“All they had known, all their parents and grandparents had known, was work. They understood that the only way that Black folks would avoid the seemingly inescapable cotton fields, the now-invisible chains, and laboring an entire day in unforgiving heat was to receive even just a portion of the education that white children were afforded.”

Tommie’s statement here reflects a long history of how Black people have been exploited for their labor. He also alludes to the ways that, although slavery has long been abolished, racist attempts to continue exploiting Black people for their work are “now-invisible chains.”

“If I’d had the opportunity that you have, I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now—I’d be doing much better.”

Tommie’s father in particular imagines a new life for Tommie by encouraging him and his siblings to take advantage of their opportunity to receive an education in California. Tommie’s father is an important figure within the theme of Education as Providing Access to Opportunity, given his keen awareness of how lacking an education has restricted his own opportunities in life.