Gold medalist and social activist Dr. Tommie Smith spoke on Thursday to SF State students in Ethnic Studies 285, a class on race, sports and society.

Smith is best known for his iconic gesture of raising his right fist straight into the air while the national anthem played as he received his gold medal during the 1968 Summer Olympics held in Mexico City.

Smith made the gesture to protest the treatment of black people in the United States and was banned from competing in the rest of the Olympics and banned from the Olympic village.

“As soon at the national anthem plays, my hand is going to the sky and merciful heaven, this country needs it,” Smith said about what was going through his mind as he went to the podium.

The San Jose State University alumnus spoke to the class about politics and life.

Smith said people often mistake the raised, gloved fist - a symbol of black power - as a symbol of the Black Panthers.

“I did not want to be held up as ‘one of them,’” Smith said. “I am an individual. I’m a humanist.”

Students who attended the speech were moved and inspired by Smith’s words.

“I thought it was very inspirational,” said Kenric Bailey, 46, a senior industrial arts major. “I wish it was at a larger place so all SF State could hear what he had to say.”

“It was like history coming back to you,” said Noel Estes, 20, a junior religious studies and philosophy major. “It hit me real deep. It was a powerful speech.”

“I thought it was really inspirational,” said Tierney Carter, a 21-year-old, double majoring in dance and biology. “When he was talking about how he felt at the podium and how he feared for his life, something clicked hearing that.”

Carter said the speech inspired her and she felt she needed to speak out more.

Other students felt that Smith was speaking directly to them and that they had a lot in common with the speaker.

Daniel Williams, a 20-year-old business and administration major, said he appreciated the way Smith handles himself and the way he sees life.

“I left with a lot of information and learned a lot of new things,” Williams said.