Activism, Organizing, and the Symbolic Power of Sport

Abstract

This paper provides an overview and assessment of Harry Edwards' work with the 1968 Olympic protest movement. Based primarily upon evidence presented in <i>Race, Culture, and the Revolt of the Black Athlete</i> (Chicago 2003), I posit that Edwards' contributions to the movement most famously associated with Tommie Smith and John Carlos' iconic victory stand demonstration come in the areas of education, organization and leadership, and media communications. I further argue that Edwards' work with the media was his most brilliant and original, revealing the symbolic power of sport in American culture and setting the stage for much of his subsequent career in the public eye. The implications of these contributions for sports scholarship and activism are highlighted throughout. The paper concludes by suggesting that one of the ironies of Edwards' prolific career is that he has never produced a capstone work that formally articulates the sophisticated understanding of the cultural power of sport embodied in his activism and public engagement.