This collection documents the history of San Jose State College and San José State University athletics with a significant portion of the collection relating to track and field. The materials in this collection were collected by Plato Yanicks who was a San Jose State alum and a high school coach of track and field and cross country. The date range for this collection is 1949-2000 but the bulk of the materials range between 1952-1969. Composed of handwritten statements from civil rights activists Harry Edwards, Lee Evans, and Tommie Smith; newspaper clippings, publication drafts, and questionnaire responses, a significant portion of this collection highlights the opinions of several black athletes as well as media personnel towards the proposed boycott of the 1968 Olympic Games. Spearheaded by civil rights activist Harry Edwards as part of his project titled the Olympic Project for Human Rights, the proposed boycott encouraged Black athletes to refuse to participate in the 1968 Olympic Games to protest against the racial discrimination and segregation of Black Athletes within the professional sports industry. While the boycott was unsuccessful due to differing opinions amongst Black athletes, SJSC athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos would make a statement at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics by raising their fists in a Black Power salute while on the winners podium stand. A notable set of documents in this collection are the responses of several Black athletes to a questionnaire conducted by Track & Field News which asked if they were planning to participate in the proposed boycott. Programs, meet summary sheets, newspaper clippings, schedule and roster-related materials, magazines, photographs, and books make up the part of the collection that focuses on various athletics offered by San Jose State College and San José State University. The variety of sports highlighted in this collection include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, gymnastics, soccer, track and field, and volleyball. One of the books included in this collection is a signed copy of "Relax and Win: Championship Performance in Whatever You Do" by Bud Winter who was the coach of the San Jose State Spartan Track and Field teams from 1941-1970. Also included are event scores, track and field event recording sheets, and newspaper clippings related to the participation of multiple San Jose State athletes in various track and field competitions between 1967-1971. Personal materials that are mostly in relation to Plato Yanicks' time as a San Jose State College student make up a small portion of the collection, consisting of San Jose State College class registration pamphlets and bulletins ranging between 1949-1954, Spartan Daily issues, and small booklets.