History is repeating itself in athlete activism. Fifty years after John Carlos and Tommie Smith raised their black-gloved fists during the national anthem at the Mexico City Olympics, athlete activism is again one of the most relevant – and controversial – political topics in the United States. Carlos and Smith directly influenced what Colin Kaepernick and other NFL players are doing now, and both protests ignited debates about the role of athletes in society. 1968’s podium and 2018’s NFL sideline are connected across time, space, and anthem. Raising a fist or taking a knee, athlete activism matters.