Victory. Stand!: Raising My Fist for Justice

On October 16, 1968, during the medal ceremony at the Mexico City Olympics, Tommie Smith, the gold medal winner in the 200-meter sprint, and John Carlos, the bronze medal winner, stood on the podium in black socks and raised their black-gloved fists to protest racial injustice inflicted upon African Americans. Both men were forced to leave the Olympics, received death threats, and faced ostracism and continuing economic hardships.

In his first-ever memoir for young readers, Tommie Smith looks back on his childhood growing up in rural Texas through to his stellar athletic career, culminating in his historic victory and Olympic podium protest. Cowritten with Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Author Honor recipient Derrick Barnes and illustrated with bold and muscular artwork from Emmy Award-winning illustrator Dawud Anyabwile, Victory. Stand! paints a stirring portrait of an iconic moment in Olympic history that still resonates today.

Author: Tommie Smith, Derrick Barnes, Dawud Anyabwile
Publisher: Norton Young Readers
Published: 09/27/2022
Pages: 208
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 1.03lbs
Size: 9.46h x 6.60w x 0.46d
ISBN: 9781324052159
Audience: Young Adult


Award: National Book Awards - Finalist
Award: Coretta Scott King Award - Honor Book
Award: Coretta Scott King Award - Honor Book
Award: Yalsa Award for Excellence in Non-Fiction for Young Adults - Winner


Review Citation(s):
Publishers Weekly 07/04/2022
Bulletin of Ctr for Child Bks 10/01/2022
Booklist 09/15/2022 pg. 42
School Library Journal 09/23/2022 pg. 1
Horn Book Magazine 11/01/2022 pg. 111