Four decades ago, athlete Tommie Smith became a part of Olympic history’s most memorable moments.

But he is not remembered for his gold medal in the 200-meter dash at the 1968 Olympics, but for that iconic moment when he and bronze medalist John Carlos, raised their black gloved fists in a display of ‘black power.’

It was a split second that defined the revolutionary spirit and defiance of a generation. Now on the 40th anniversary of that event, The Voice talked with Smith about the moment that defined the ‘68 games and was ultimately to destroy his athletic career.

Following the deaths of over 300 Mexican students who were against the Olympics in favour of a revolution and five days into the XIXth Olympics in Mexico City-- a pair of track stars – two of the fastest sprinters in the world stood in a tunnel in the Estadio Olímpico Universitario stadium. They were waiting for the medal ceremony to begin on Wednesday, October 16th 1968.