In the midst of rampant racial tension and division within the civil rights movement, Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated on April 4. The shocking blow of King’s death led many African Americans to question their commitment to peaceful solutions. Their anger and grief exploded in riots in over 100 cities nationwide. In response, the National Guard and other military troops were called in to occupy and patrol many black neighborhoods.

The defiant spirit of the black power movement gained international attention in October at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City.

The raised fist, often used by the Black Panthers, became a symbol of the black power movement. This iconic photograph,  taken as the "Star-Spangled Banner" played after the 200-meter race, shows champion U.S. runners Tommie Smith and John Carlos bowing their heads and raising their fists. The image became a worldwide sensation at the time and was criticized by those who disapproved of the message or of athletes mixing politics with sports. Others praised the salute and applauded the attention it brought to the black struggle for equality and self-determination. As a result of their actions, Carlos and Smith were expelled from the Olympic Games.