With Drawn Arms, a documentary film that begins with Smith telling the story of 1968 in
his words as well as everything that came after, which history likes to forget.
The treatment of the sprinter as a national disgrace, the FBI following him around, the admiration for his human rights statement only coming after Smith had already lost everything. Throughout the documentary, though, we see hope for the preservation of Smith s legacy: He meets the artist Glenn Kaino (who also co-directed
With Drawn Arms), who works with him to create several works of art in his name. Even without Kaino s work which is truly breathtaking it s not hard to find the spirit of Smith s human rights statement alive and well. The work of Colin Kaepernick, Megan Rapinoe, all 12 men behind the Milwaukee Bucks s NBA bubble protest, and so many more.