Olympian and civil rights icon John Carlos introduces Jaylen Brown at supermax signing event
It was a special moment Jaylen Brown officially signed his supermax extension with the Boston Celtics. Brown elected to hold the event at his Bridge program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a summer camp for Black and brown teens to learn about STEAM opportunities. He talked about wealth inequality in Boston. And he was introduced by an American icon.
John Carlos is perhaps best known for his actions at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. After winning bronze in the 200-meter dash, he and teammate Tommie Smith each raised a single gloved fist into the air during the medal ceremony, a symbol of Black Power and solidarity. It was a bold and powerful gesture and came just a few months after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Carlos and Smith were admonished for this act of bravery in the moment by the American press and sports community. Years later, their courage has come to be celebrated, and Carlos now uses his platform to advocate for positive change around the world.
At Brown’s Bridge program, he told the teens to “live to make history,” for example. He also introduced Brown as he prepared to sign his extension.
You can check out the entire moment, courtesy of NBCSports Boston’s Instagram page.
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