This house, formerly home to Tommie Smith, is soon to be renovated by its current owner. The owner, Brian Boguess, spoke last night at the 13th Street Neighborhood Advisory Committee meeting to describe his plans. The house will be moved closer to the street and a second story is to be added. In addition a second building with three apartments will be added on the back part of the property. However, to preserve some vestige of the original house, which the city considers a significant historic structure, the existing facade will be retained, although only as a portion of the face of the new larger building. Boguess seemed very enthusiastic about both making this house (which under recent former owners and tenants was known to neighbors as a problematic home to drug dealers) an asset to its neighborhood, and preserving the historical connection with Tommie Smith.

Smith was a San Jose State track star and Olympian at the 1968 Mexico City Games. When he won the 200 meters (in world record time) and teammate John Carlos took the bronze medal, they made history by giving the black power salute from the medal podium. In response to their actions, the U. S. Olympic team suspended Smith and Carlos. Besides showing his courage in standing up for civil rights, Smith was also an exceptional athlete, at one time holding 11 world records in track and field simultaneously. Later, he taught and coached at Oberlin College in Ohio. He is one of San Jose’s historic heroes.

San Jose Metblogs previously wrote about Smith’s history in San Jose and the Tommie Smith and John Carlos statue on the SJSU campus.