Captured History Sports
4 total works
Serena vs. Venus: How a Photograph Spotlighted the Fight for Equality
by Danielle Smith-Llera
Published 1 January 2017
The final match of the 2001 U.S. Open featuring tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams was groundbreaking. It was first time siblings had squared off in the final match for more than 100 years. And it was the first time both players were black. The photo of the smiling Williams sisters holding their trophies after the tennis match appeared in newspapers around the globe. It captured two athletes who fought, and would continue to fight, for a place for women and African-Americans in tennis and the world beyond.
Two American athletes made history at the 1968 Summer Olympics, but not on the track. They staged a silent protest against racial injustice. Tommie Smith and John Carlos, gold and bronze medalists in the 200-meter sprint, stood with heads bowed and black-gloved fists raised as the national anthem played during the medal ceremony. The Australian silver medalist wore a human rights badge in support. All three would pay a heavy price for their activism. A Life magazine photograph seen by millions would ensure that the silent protest was remembered, and eventually admired, as a symbol of the battle for equality and civil rights.
Black Power Salute: How a Photograph Captured a Political Protest
by Danielle Smith-Llera
Published 1 January 2017