SJSU statue descriptive feature

Students sit on the lawn before Tower Hall chatting and waiting for class, paying little attention to the looming statue that stands in the foreground.

Two men, 22 feet tall, watch over the quad as a reminder of a much different time in America.

A single pair of gloves cover the raised fists of both men as they proudly stand tall on the podium.

Their names are Tommie Smith and John Carlos, who were once vilified throughout the world but now have their own statue on the San Jose State campus and the title of "hero."

They proudly wear pins supporting "The Olympic Project of Human Rights" next to their gold and bronze Olympic medals.

Their bare feet are planted firmly on the platform they had worked so hard to earn, representing the plight of black poverty.

An olive branch rests in the left hand of Smith, a symbol he was extending to the entire world.

These two men, who years ago walked these same streets and took classes on this same campus, recognized their position as Olympic athletes and decided to speak out for those who were not so lucky.

The platform where Australian silver medalist Peter Norman once stood in solidarity sits empty, urging those on campus to "take a stand."