The 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome were fraught with change and significance. It was a time of racial struggle in the United States. The Cold War between the USSR and the United States was heating up.

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I have had a lifelong love of both history and the Olympics. The modern Olympic Games from their inception were created to bring ...

At the 1960 Summer Games in Rome, he set a world record in the 400-meter race and another in the 4 x 400 relay, where he anchored the United States team’s victory. By Richard Sandomir Otis Davis, who ...