Go to the Institute for the Study of Sport, Society, & Social Change to learn more.
Speed City: Legacy & Activism
Speed City was the name for the SJSU athletic program that fostered talented and driven athletes in the post-World War II era. Between 1941 and 1970, with the innovative coaching techniques of Lloyd “Bud” Winter, 91 Spartans were ranked in the top 10 worldwide by Track and Field News, 27 Spartans were Olympians and the men’s track and field team won the NCAA title in 1969.
The Olympic Project for Human Rights (OPHR) Boycott
Harry Edwards and Ken Noel founded the OPHR at San José State in 1967 to advocate for a boycott of the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. As Edwards wrote in The Black Scholar in 1979, “the project had four main objectives:
- To stage an international protest of the persistent and systematic violation of black people’s human rights in the United States;
- To expose America’s historical exploitation of black athletes as political propaganda tools in both the national and international arenas;
- To establish a standard of political responsibility among black athletes vis-a-vis the needs and interests of the black community, and to devise effective and acceptable ways by which athletes could accommodate the demands of such responsibilities; and
- To make the black community aware of the substantial ‘hidden’ dynamics and consequences of their sports involvement.”
Two of our most celebrated alumni are are Tommie Smith, ’69 Social Science, ’05 Honorary Doctorate, and John Carlos, ’05 Honorary Doctorate. These brave men raised their fists on the medal stand during the Mexico City 1968 Summer Olympics, drawing international attention to athlete activism and the core goals of the Olympic Project for Human Rights (OPHR). Harry Edwards, ’64 Sociology, ’16 Honorary Doctorate, and Ken Noel, ’66 BA, ’68 MA Social Science, organized the OPHR in 1968 to challenge San Jose State’s athletic program and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) to diversify their coaching and leadership ranks.
The OPHR asked a crucial question: Why should student-athletes compete for universities and organizations where they cannot also work?
Harry Edwards, a giant of sports activism, still has people shook | The Undefeated
The Power of Protest
"It's important here to understand the interface of scholarship, and activism and athletics," said Dr. Harry Edwards, a renowned sports sociologist who helped create the Olympic Project for Human Rights. The movement called on black athletes to boycott the 1968 Olympic Games over racial injustices.
The movement is documented in the "The Power of Protest: Speed City and the Olympic Project for Human Rights" exhibit at San Jose State University, which highlights more than 100 historical collections from Dr. Edwards. Colin Kaepernick's social activism was also featured in the exhibit.
Learn more about the OPHR through the resources below and #JointheConversation
SJSU Legacy Booklet: Students Respond with Social Action
This booklet focuses on the racial and social justice legacy at San José State University, with a focus on how the students responded with social action. The goal of the booklet is to educate the campus and larger community about the rich and vibrant history of SJSU. By exposing and exploring the history for racial and social justice at San José State, the SJSU Human Rights Institute’s hope is that the campus community will use it to fashion policies and practices that are supportive of students development, and that are anti-racist. The Institute also hopes that SJSU faculty and staff will use the booklet to educate our students about this “justice legacy” thread, which has run throughout the campus history.
This booklet is composed of 11 chapters, which include information on the Tommie Smith and John Carlos sculptures. Go to the link button below to learn more about this legacy effort and others at SJSU.
HBO Documentary: Fists of Freedom | 1999
NBC Olympics: 1968 - A Mexico City Documentary | 2018
STARZ: With Drawn Arms - Tommie Smith & Glenn Kaino (Trailer) | 2020
The Institute for the Study of Sport, Society & Social Change
In January 2017, SJSU launched the Institute for the Study of Sport, Society and Social Change (ISSSSC) with a momentous town hall event featuring current and retired athletes and journalists discussing race relations in sport.
The ISSSSC honors our legacy and continues the dialogue about athlete activism and the influence of sport in effecting positive social change. As our nation confronts and explores deeply complex social issues, it is critical that we continue to challenge the boundaries of sport and activism. Sport offers the occasion to pose big questions, not just of athletes, but also of ourselves and provide enlightened perspectives. Hence, ISSSSC amplifies and embodies the motto “Words to Action”.
Connect with the ISSSSC Team and turn your "Words TO Action"
Dr. Akilah R. Carter-Francique, Executive Director - akilah.carter-francique@sjsu.edu
Dr. Amy August, Assistant Director - amy.august@sjsu.edu
Beth Doyle, Executive Assistant - elizabeth.doyle@sjsu.edu