In the latest in urban news, President Barack Obama has welcomed relatives of 1936 Black Olympians to the White House earlier this week. These relatives were welcomed by President Obama in order to receive the acknowledgement they missed out on 80 years ago after their triumphant performance in Berlin.
This invitation comes at a time when current news, Hollywood gossip sites, and black entertainment news have been littered with stories of African Americans protesting against police officers and other governmental figures over claims of discrimination and racial profiling. However, Obama wanted to change the focus by celebrating athletes from 2016 Team USA, like young icon Simone Biles.
Not only did Obama welcome many members of the 2016 Rio Olympic team into the White House and the relatives of the 1936 Olympians, he invited Tommie Smith and John Carlos. Smith and Carlos were Olympians in the 1968 Olympics and are known for having a gloved-fist protest supporting the Black Panthers during their medal ceremony. Obama praised the pair for opening America’s eyes to the civil rights crisis happening at the time.
In his speech to the athletes, he praised the 1936 Olympians for taking a stand against Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Regime during the Olympics in Berlin. He singled out some athletes in particular, including famed Jessie Owens for paving the way for the incredibly diverse Olympic team we have today.
During the 1936 Olympics, many African American athletes were snubbed by Hitler and the rest of the country for winning big in the games. Owens in particular won four medals during the games, but Obama made sure to point out that there were plenty of other athletes who stood up for what they believed in during a time where it was exceptionally hard to do so. Not only did they show Nazi Germany what American democracy was all about, Obama said, the African American athletes in Berlin brought home a whopping 14 out of 56 medals.
What was even more inspiring is that African American athletes from today were able to meet the Olympians that made it possible for them to compete today. Obama paid tribute to the successes and progress that have come in race relations in 80 years.
In light of the current news that shows a disparity between government officials and African Americans today, this is a breath of fresh air.
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