Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice

Tommie Smith is very clear throughout that he believes his journey in life was brought to him by God. He mentions religion throughout the novel, connecting his opportunities and actions back to his Christian faith. Religion is an important part of his life. Much like he is connected to larger social movements, he sees himself as also connected to a larger spirituality as well.

The first mention of religion comes when Tommie mentions how, without fail, his family would travel to church each Sunday, even when they lived in Texas. As a “tight-knit” family, Tommie and his siblings take seriously the values and lessons that they learn from their parents. Their parents instilled these values and lessons in part through ensuring the family’s consistent presence at church “[e]very Sunday, without fail” (22). There, Tommie listened to Black voices and Black hopes, imprinting on him the importance of representation and community. His connection to the church grows with each subsequent Sunday, and because he sees his parents emphasize the importance of this practice, he keeps it up as an adult. In college, he narrates how “[o]n the weekend, no matter how tired [he] was, [he] woke up on Sunday morning, put on something nice, and [he and Saint] would trek across campus to attend church.