--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The beads around my neck [at Olympics in…" description: "\"The beads around my neck [at Olympics in 1968] indicated that there were so many Blacks throughout the history of this country that have been maimed an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebe/john-carlos-16923_beads_the-beads-around-my-neck-at-olympics-in_661140.jpg" --- # The beads around my neck \[at Olympics in 1968\] indicated… ![“The beads around my neck [at Olympics in 1968] indicated that there were so many Blacks throughout the history of this country that have been maimed and killed by way of hangings.” quote by John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebe/john-carlos-16923_beads_the-beads-around-my-neck-at-olympics-in_661140.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebe/john-carlos-16923_beads_the-beads-around-my-neck-at-olympics-in_661140.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebe/john-carlos-16923_beads_the-beads-around-my-neck-at-olympics-in_661140.jpg) > “The beads around my neck \[at Olympics in 1968\] indicated that there were so many Blacks throughout the history of this country that have been maimed and killed by way of hangings.” [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker highlights the historical oppression of Black people, using the beads as a reminder of past atrocities. **In simple terms:** Remembering past injustices. Key Takeaway Acknowledge history to inform present actions. Themes justice history racism Mood determined hopeful Type motivational historical When to use this quote - education - activism - community dialogue Key Concepts civil rights memory Questions to Reflect On - How can we honor victims while building a better future? - What actions can address lingering effects of racism? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on past pain can hinder progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Olympics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympics/) ## Related quotes > [ It was like when we went to Mexico City \[Olympics in 1968\] it was sun and shining and bright. When we came home it… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/it-was-like-when-we-went-to-mexico-city-olympics-in-1968-it-was-sun/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [ The black socks \[on me at Olympics in 1968\] emphasized the fact that we had so many Blacks and people of color here in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/the-black-socks-on-me-at-olympics-in-1968-emphasized-the-fact-that-we/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [Many pedestrians have been maimed or killed at the intersection of Resistance and Commerce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/many-pedestrians-have-been-maimed-or-killed-at-the-intersection-of/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [Being on a grand jury felt like attending a series of hangings in a legal Wild West. Hands up for a true bill. Hands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joy-reid/being-on-a-grand-jury-felt-like-attending-a-series-of-hangings-in-a/) [Joy Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joy-reid/) > [A few public hangings will really change behavior. One of our Presidents said if he could execute three people each year for no cause,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/a-few-public-hangings-will-really-change-behavior-one-of-our/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) > [“You can't escape an assasin," He leaned forward, shadows swallowing his eyes. "Hangings, bumbling bureaucrats, dishonest crewman, jail - those you can talk your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-rose-clarke/you-can-t-escape-an-assasin-he-leaned-forward-shadows-swallowing-his/) [Cassandra Rose Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-rose-clarke/) > [“Hangings, beheadings, impalement, oh my!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-lawrence/hangings-beheadings-impalement-oh-my/) [Mark Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-lawrence/) > [ “\[Enoch Root\] hadn't really known what to expect of America. But people here seem to do things—hangings included—with a blunt, blank efficiency that's admirable… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-stephenson/enoch-root-hadn-t-really-known-what-to-expect-of-america-but-people/) [Neal Stephenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-stephenson/) > [We must always remember that God is Love. "A fool indeed is he who, living on the banks of the Ganga, seeks to dig…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/we-must-always-remember-that-god-is-love-a-fool-indeed-is-he-who/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Then, when people saw you strolling around at high noon holding your rosary beads, they’d think, ‘Well, that can’t be a vampire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/then-when-people-saw-you-strolling-around-at-high-noon-holding-your/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [Deciding to chant the mantra a certain number of times daily will help foster the japa habit. We should always keep a rosary with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/deciding-to-chant-the-mantra-a-certain-number-of-times-daily-will/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [I think all writers are always collecting characters as we go along. Not just characters of course, we're collecting EVERYTHING. Bits and pieces of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-sokoloff/i-think-all-writers-are-always-collecting-characters-as-we-go-along/) Alexandra Sokoloff > [You think you know yourself, the world. You believe you've got a bead on everybody else's bullshit, but what about your own?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-lipsyte/you-think-you-know-yourself-the-world-you-believe-you-ve-got-a-bead/) [Sam Lipsyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-lipsyte/) > [slowly the pale dew-beads of light lapped up from flowers can thicken, darken to gold: honey of the human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/slowly-the-pale-dew-beads-of-light-lapped-up-from-flowers-can-thicken/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [The translucence that comes when life hardens into a bead of such cruel perfection you see it with the purest clarity. Everything suddenly there--life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/the-translucence-that-comes-when-life-hardens-into-a-bead-of-such/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) ## More by John Carlos > [ \[Sport officials\] blocked their support of us. But those individuals \[ Muhammad Ali, the Jim Browns, the Bill Russells, Kareem Abdul Jabbar \] were… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/sport-officials-blocked-their-support-of-us-but-those-individuals/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [The beginning don't matter. The end don't matter. All that matters is what you do in between...the greatest reward is to know that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/the-beginning-don-t-matter-the-end-don-t-matter-all-that-matters-is/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [ The black socks \[on me at Olympics in 1968\] emphasized the fact that we had so many Blacks and people of color here in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/the-black-socks-on-me-at-olympics-in-1968-emphasized-the-fact-that-we/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [I'm not too proud to do any job to support my family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/i-m-not-too-proud-to-do-any-job-to-support-my-family/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [My kids going to school and teachers denying my kids the grades that they should have once they found out that I was their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/my-kids-going-to-school-and-teachers-denying-my-kids-the-grades-that/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [I think it's something that we said collectively, in terms of the fact that we was getting ready to face probably the biggest storms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/i-think-it-s-something-that-we-said-collectively-in-terms-of-the-fact/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [If you look at the Olympic Games as a whole, if we would say we didn't want to interject politics into the games, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/if-you-look-at-the-olympic-games-as-a-whole-if-we-would-say-we-didn-t/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [I think society had to grow up to the mentality of Peter Norman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/i-think-society-had-to-grow-up-to-the-mentality-of-peter-norman/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [I was a pallbearer. I felt, when I got the call that Peter had died, I didn't have any bank account, but I felt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/i-was-a-pallbearer-i-felt-when-i-got-the-call-that-peter-had-died-i/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [ It took some time for us to realize that \[people\] didn't particularly say they didn't like us or have the love for us that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/it-took-some-time-for-us-to-realize-that-people-didn-t-particularly/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [Peter Norman is a humanitarian, and I say "is" because in my life, Peter Norman is never deceased. He's always going to live with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/peter-norman-is-a-humanitarian-and-i-say-is-because-in-my-life-peter/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [Peter Norman's a man's man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/peter-norman-s-a-man-s-man/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [In life, there's the beginning and the end. The beginning don't matter. The end don't matter. All that matters is what you do in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/in-life-there-s-the-beginning-and-the-end-the-beginning-don-t-matter/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [ Peter \[Norman\] never vacated from himself as to who he was. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/peter-norman-never-vacated-from-himself-as-to-who-he-was/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) > [I'm sure there was people in Australia that told Peter Norman that hey, man, you shouldn't have done what you did, you shouldn't have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/i-m-sure-there-was-people-in-australia-that-told-peter-norman-that/) [John Carlos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) [Explore all 38 John Carlos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/) ## More Beads quotes > [The translucence that comes when life hardens into a bead of such cruel perfection you see it with the purest clarity. Everything suddenly there--life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/the-translucence-that-comes-when-life-hardens-into-a-bead-of-such/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [slowly the pale dew-beads of light lapped up from flowers can thicken, darken to gold: honey of the human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denise-levertov/slowly-the-pale-dew-beads-of-light-lapped-up-from-flowers-can-thicken/) [Denise Levertov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denise-levertov/) > [You think you know yourself, the world. You believe you've got a bead on everybody else's bullshit, but what about your own?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-lipsyte/you-think-you-know-yourself-the-world-you-believe-you-ve-got-a-bead/) [Sam Lipsyte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-lipsyte/) > [I think all writers are always collecting characters as we go along. Not just characters of course, we're collecting EVERYTHING. Bits and pieces of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-sokoloff/i-think-all-writers-are-always-collecting-characters-as-we-go-along/) Alexandra Sokoloff > [Deciding to chant the mantra a certain number of times daily will help foster the japa habit. We should always keep a rosary with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/deciding-to-chant-the-mantra-a-certain-number-of-times-daily-will/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [Then, when people saw you strolling around at high noon holding your rosary beads, they’d think, ‘Well, that can’t be a vampire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeaniene-frost/then-when-people-saw-you-strolling-around-at-high-noon-holding-your/) [Jeaniene Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeaniene-frost/) > [We must always remember that God is Love. "A fool indeed is he who, living on the banks of the Ganga, seeks to dig…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/we-must-always-remember-that-god-is-love-a-fool-indeed-is-he-who/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Every time some new huckster of angst-ridden metaphor is appointed by Art Forum, the congregation genuflects, stroking the catalog like a handful of Rosary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abe-ajay/every-time-some-new-huckster-of-angst-ridden-metaphor-is-appointed-by/) [Abe Ajay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abe-ajay/) > [You know, if I cleaned out my backpack, which I don't really use anymore, I'd find a bunch of beads. I have a bunch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-connaughton/you-know-if-i-cleaned-out-my-backpack-which-i-don-t-really-use/) [Pat Connaughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-connaughton/) > [SHE is neither pink nor pale, And she never will be all mine; She learned her hands in a fairy-tale, And her mouth on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-st-vincent-millay/she-is-neither-pink-nor-pale-and-she-never-will-be-all-mine-she/) [Edna St. Vincent Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-st-vincent-millay/) > [Reading a text is more like tracing this process of constant flickering than it is like counting the beads on a necklace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/reading-a-text-is-more-like-tracing-this-process-of-constant/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [Loyalty to God is alone fundamental. Feelings, words, deeds, must be beads strung on the string of duty. Let the world tell you in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maltbie-davenport-babcock/loyalty-to-god-is-alone-fundamental-feelings-words-deeds-must-be/) [Maltbie Davenport Babcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maltbie-davenport-babcock/) > [closed my eyes and listened. It was like music I'd heard all my life, even more than "This Lullaby." All those keystrokes, all those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/closed-my-eyes-and-listened-it-was-like-music-i-d-heard-all-my-life/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [A very special case. A few years more, and that pretty creature who you love too much, I think, will, without ever loving them,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachilde/a-very-special-case-a-few-years-more-and-that-pretty-creature-who-you/) [Rachilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachilde/) > [Friendship, awareness, happiness, all of the arts of the good life, are brilliant beads strung on the golden cord of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/friendship-awareness-happiness-all-of-the-arts-of-the-good-life-are/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 169 Beads quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The beads around my neck [at Olympics in 1968] indicated that there were so many Blacks throughout the history of this country that have been maimed and killed by way of hangings.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Carlos" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/the-beads-around-my-neck-at-olympics-in-1968-indicated-that-there/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beads" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/the-beads-around-my-neck-at-olympics-in-1968-indicated-that-there/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebe/john-carlos-16923_beads_the-beads-around-my-neck-at-olympics-in_661140.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebe/john-carlos-16923_beads_the-beads-around-my-neck-at-olympics-in_661140.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebe/john-carlos-16923_beads_the-beads-around-my-neck-at-olympics-in_661140.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The beads around my neck [at Olympics in 1968] indicated that there were so many Blacks throughout the…” — John Carlos", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Carlos", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-carlos/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The beads around my neck [at...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/the-beads-around-my-neck-at-olympics-in-1968-indicated-that-there/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-carlos/the-beads-around-my-neck-at-olympics-in-1968-indicated-that-there/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```