John Carlos

John Wesley Carlos, born on June 5, 1945, is an American former track and field athlete who also played professional football. He won the bronze medal in the 200 meters at the 1968 Summer Olympics, where he and Tommie Smith, standing together on the podium, displayed the Black Power salute. In his sprinting career he tied the world record in the 100-yard dash and ran a 200 meters time that beat the world record, although that mark was never certified. After athletics he had a brief spell in the Canadian Football League but retired because of injury. He later worked with the United States Olympic Committee and helped organize the 1984 Summer Olympics, then became a track coach at Palm Springs High School. He was inducted into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2003 and wrote The John Carlos Story with the sportswriter Dave Zirin, published in 2011.