Tommie Smith and John Carlos were given death threats upon their return home to the United States after the 1968 olympics in Mexico City. No, they didn’t perform poorly. In fact, the two of them placed top two in their place and earned themselves a spot on the podium. It’s what happened during the award ceremony that sparked outrage among Americans, and a picture that forever remains engraved in the history of the olympics.

There was a third American that was going to be part of the protest, but he did not place in the top three. As a result, the third place finisher, an Australian named Peter Norman also wore a badge to support their cause.

Smith and Carlos were protesting injustice in America, believing that progress was taking too long despite the Civil Rights Movement and the Civil Rights Act. Among returning home, the two were outcasted and sent death threats simply because they raised their fists and wore badges and black shirts to cover the USA on their uniform.