Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott told an audience on Saturday night that he ran a mile in four minutes and 30 seconds – a feat that only a small percentage of the population has ever achieved.
Scott mentioned his accomplishment during a talk at the American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM), where he presented Olympic medalist John Carlos with a mayoral citation and a t-shirt.
Carlos won a bronze medal for the 200-meter race at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City and once set a world record for running the 100-yard dash in 9.1 seconds. He’s one of two medal-winning U. S. athletes who raised their gloved fists while on the winners’ podium in Mexico City – a civil rights salute that was broadcast worldwide and has been called one of the most overtly political statements in the history of the modern Olympic Games.
Carlos came to Baltimore over the weekend to receive AVAM’s Lifetime Grand Visionary Award, its highest honor, at the museum’s summer gala. He goes by Dr. Carlos, because he has received several honorary doctorate degrees. The gala drew 180 guests and raised $118,000 for the museum, before expenses.
Scott, who was born in 1984, told the audience that Carlos was an inspiration to him when he was growing up and running track at Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School, Mervo for short.
“I cannot tell you, Dr. Carlos, how many ‘68 Olympic t-shirts that I’ve owned throughout the years and how many teachers and bosses I pissed off by wearing them, but I wore them with pride,” the mayor said. “It is my honor to present you with a citation for your selflessness and courage, not only in 1968 but before and every minute since. Thank you for being one of those who inspired me to being the proud black man I am, to knowing that I was much more than a young man who could just happen to run a mile in four minutes and 30 seconds.”
Dave Zirin, sports editor for The Nation magazine and co-author with Carlos of the 2011 biography, The John Carlos Story: The Sports Moment That Changed the World, spoke after Scott and picked up on what the mayor said about running.
“I think we’re all thinking it and we should say it,” Zirin said: “Did anybody notice that the mayor slipped in his mile time?”
The impact of sports
Scott, 41, ran both track and cross country when he was at Mervo, from which he graduated in 2002. He has frequently talked about the impact of sports on his life, crediting it with building discipline and a spirit of competition. He has said that sports, and specifically running track at Mervo, played a key role in shaping him into the person he is today.
Scott’s sports background is one of the reasons he has been a strong advocate for opening or renovating more than a dozen recreation centers operated by the Baltimore’s Department of Recreation and Parks, expanding middle school sports offerings and reinstituting summer midnight basketball that gives kids a safe place to play.
“I wouldn’t be here if I did not run track at Mervo High School,” Scott said in a 2024 interview with Stephen Borelli of USA Today. “Sports is what made me who I am. It’s where I get discipline from. It’s where I get that deep spirit of competition and the understanding of how to work together and work with different types of people.”
Participating in track and field “saved our lives,” he said in an earlier interview with the publication.
But Scott doesn’t always speak about his personal track achievements with the specificity he did on Saturday. His talk at the museum may be one of the few times in public, if ever, that he has mentioned running a mile in four minutes and 30 seconds.
There seems to be no public record of anyone named Brandon Scott running a mile in four minutes and 30 seconds. Several websites display running times for athletes named Brandon Scott, but additional information is required to determine whether these results are tied to the Baltimore mayor or athletes who simply share his name.
The mayor’s office did not respond to a question about when and where he ran a mile in four minutes and 30 seconds.
Athletic feat
Running a four-minute mile is a significant athletic achievement, typically associated with highly-trained middle-distance runners. It requires running an average speed of 15 miles an hour. Roger Bannister ran the first documented four-minute mile on May 6, 1954, with a time of 3:59.4.
Even today, the sub four-minute mile remains an impressive mark in men’s track and field competitions, achieved by slightly more than 2,000 male runners worldwide. No woman has officially broken the four-minute barrier, although several have come close. U. S. runner Steve Scott holds the record for the most sub four-minute miles, with 137. The current men’s world record is held by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco, with a time of 3:43.13, set in 1999.
The official women’s world record for running a mile is 4:07.64, set two years ago by Faith Kipyegon of Kenya. On June 26 of this year, Kipyegon surpassed that time in Paris with a run of 4.06.42, but observers say it won’t count as an official world record because she ran in an exhibition format with male pacers and World Athletics, track’s international governing body, prohibits the use of male pacers for record purposes.
There is no exact number for men who have run a mile in four minutes and 30 seconds because it’s not definitively tracked, but it’s a larger group than those who have broken the four-minute barrier, according to BringBacktheMile.com. In all, 132 U. S. women have run a mile in four minutes and 30 seconds or faster, the website says. Paola Pigni-Cacchi of Italy was reportedly the first woman to break the 4:30 barrier, running 4:29.5
Many distance runners aim to break 5:00 at some point during their high school careers, and a time under 5:15 is considered decent for a male freshman. A sub-4:00 mile is considered very competitive. According to Quora, another database, times around 4:30 to 4:45 “can be competitive depending on the state and region” but “a time in the 4:20s or faster may be required to run at the Division 1 collegiate level.”
‘Good Sports’
AVAM, which opened in 1995, is a Congressionally-designated national museum and education center that’s dedicated to intuitive, self-taught artistry. It champions the role intuition plays in creative invention and evolutionary innovation of all sorts – including the fields of art, science, health and wellbeing, engineering, humor and philosophy – and especially in inspiring compassionate and creative arts of social justice and betterment.
Saturday’s event, called the Play(ful) Ball Gala, celebrated the intersection of sports, art and activism, echoing the themes of the museum’s current mega-exhibition, “Good Sports: The Wisdom & Fun of Fair Play.”
AVAM’s board and gala committee typically select an honoree for the Lifetime Grand Visionary Award whose contributions dovetail with the theme of that year’s mega-exhibition. Past honorees have included South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu; social activist Julian Bond; physician, clown and Gesundheit! Institute founder “Patch” Adams, and Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin.
Carlos, 80, became famous when he and gold medalist Tommie Smith each raised a black-gloved fist during their medal ceremony to protest social injustice in Mexico City, the United States and around the world in 1968. In his autobiography, Silent Gesture, Smith called the act a “human rights salute.”
Carlos spoke without notes for roughly an hour on Saturday, about growing up in Harlem and his path to the Olympics. The takeaway from his remarks is that he was a rebel long before he got to the Olympics, and that he has used the recognition he received from his salute to be a champion for civil rights and social justice throughout his life.
AVAM’s board of directors and gala committee selected Carlos to receive the museum’s Lifetime Grand Visionary Award because of his commitment to sports activism.
“Few sports figures have demonstrated the courage and determination to stand for something larger than themselves, transcendent of their innate talent and competitor skills,” said AVAM board chair Christopher Goelet, in a statement.
“A true Olympian, Dr. Carlos’s heroic 1968 protest spoke volumes in a powerful plea for our nation to better honor its founding ideals of equality for all. Through his silent eloquence and subsequent actions, Dr. Carlos continues to practice the high art of social justice and compassion in action.”
‘Bright future’
The June 28 event was also the first public appearance by the museum’s new executive director, Ellen Owens, who had started on June 23. “You sure threw me a great party on my sixth day,” she told the audience. “This is truly a dream come true.”
The former Director of the Castellani Art Museum at Niagara University, Owens said AVAM is “one of my favorite museums in the entire world” and she’s “honored and humbled” to be part of it.
“Throughout my professional life, I’ve been in awe of this wonderful place that, for over 30 years, has given a voice to the profound insights and experiences of self-taught intuitive artists, while also being a source of reflection, inspiration and renewed personal vision for so many,” she said. “There’s a reason why the American Visionary Art Museum is consistently ranked the favorite museum of the region and one of the most admired nationally and internationally. And I believe you all know why.”
This is a critical point in the museum’s history, Owens said.
“Without question, we find ourselves in truly ‘interesting times,’ and perhaps never in recent memory has there been a greater need for authentic, compelling visionaries,” she said. “It seems as though every day is a challenge to make sense of what we see happening all around us: What is true and what is not, who we thought we were, and what we are becoming.
“Still, this very special museum has never faltered in its mission to summon us to consider our lives in a broader context and against the larger obligations of our shared humanity,” she said. “AVAM is a place where indeed, diverse perspectives are celebrated, where the complicated histories of others teach and inspire, and where we find the capacity to consider our own circumstances in light of the personal struggles and achievements of others. It’s a place that you just somehow ‘get,’ and it’s a place where everyone naturally belongs.
“That’s why I’m here and, I suspect, that’s why you’re here, too,” she continued. “And that’s why I’m thrilled now to have the opportunity to help define the future of this anchor institution of Baltimore and of Maryland – building on the remarkable progress that [co-founder] Rebecca [Hoffberger] and the talented and dedicated AVAM team have made possible.”
Looking ahead, “I see a very bright future for AVAM – one in which we build upon our deep history of inclusivity, collaborative programming and partnerships with others in the city,” Owens said. “We’ll continue to be a welcoming space for everyone and grow opportunities for people to connect with their own creativity and respect the unique vision and gifts of others. We will make visionary artists household names through landmark exhibitions and media spotlights. And we will firmly cement AVAM as a must-see attraction for everyone. Most importantly, at a moment when the world seems difficult and uncertain, we will supercharge the fun, creative experiences that are truly unique to AVAM, providing a safe haven of hope, joy and wonder.”
Owens concluded her remarks by saying she wants to hear from others.
“I so much look forward to getting to know you personally, and to benefitting from your ideas and perspectives,” she told the gathering. “It will be my aim to connect AVAM even more to this community, broadening its reach and ensuring its even greater impact. Each of you here this evening to celebrate the remarkable life’s work of our Grand Visionary, Dr. John Carlos, are vital to AVAM’s present and future. Thank you for believing in and supporting what happens here and for your willingness to help us thrive in the days ahead.”
‘All Star Attire’
In keeping with the Play(ful) theme of the night, guests were asked to dress in their best “All Star Attire,” however they interpreted that. Some came with glitter on, leaning into the ‘star’ part of the dress code. Others sported various sports-themed outfits.
Scott dressed in an orange and black track suit, one of many track suits he said he has at home.
“I…want to pause to say thank you to the AVAM for having a gala that allows me to dress the way I would like to dress every day,” he said. “Sports theme, that’s easy. We’re honoring a track icon. I have a thousand Under Armour track sweat suits and just grabbed the one that looks the most stylish.”
One guest came as Robin Hood. Asked how that fit with the sports theme, she explained that Robin Hood was an archer, and archery is a sport in the Olympics. Her companion wore a Hawaiian shirt with roosters on it. He said it represented cockfighting, which is a popular sport in Spain, Latin America and parts of Asia. “It’s better than dogfighting,” he said.
There was plenty of Orioles- and baseball-themed apparel. Hoffberger, the museum’s co-founder, wore a t-shirt bearing an image of Baltimore-born baseball legend Babe Ruth and a jacket with No. 3 on the back for Ruth’s uniform number. To complete her tribute, she wore a Baby Ruth candy bar, still in its wrapper, on her chest like decorative jewelry: an edible brooch.
Valerie Williams, co-interim director of the museum before Owen arrived, wore a cowboy hat. Cowboys ride horses, she explained, and the summer Olympic Games include three equestrian events for both teams and individuals: dressage, eventing and jumping.
Owens wore an Elle Zeitoune strapless gown with a feathered neckline, side slit and sequin embellishments; a black Adidas track jacket draped over her shoulders; gold open-toed heels; a gold gem-studded gym whistle necklace; a #30 AVAM necklace for its 30th anniversary; and gold and pink poodle earrings in honor of the museum’s pink poodle mascot, Fifi. The jacket was a nod to her own “most-practiced sport” – running – and she carried black metallic pom poms all night. “I’m a cheerleader for AVAM,” she explained.
Heartfelt speech
Scott, who stayed late into the night, gave a heartfelt speech about how much Carlos meant to him. He started by praising the museum as “the most iconic and unique museum not just in Baltimore but in the world.” Then he turned to Carlos and said he was equally iconic.
“Tonight, as a Black man who was also a track man, as everyone in Baltimore knows, I am one of many generations of young Black men who loved being inspired by Dr. Carlos, not just as an athlete but as a leader in the fight for civil rights and Black liberation,” Scott said.
“He is proof that it takes real courage to do the right thing, especially when it’s not the popular thing. After Dr. Carlos and Tommie Smith gave the Black Power salute on the podium in 1968, they were banned from the Olympic Village…And they got death threats. But Dr. Carlos never wavered. He never backed down. He never listened to the fools who told him to just run and shut up.”
The stand that Carlos took in 1968 provides lessons for today, Scott said.
“All of us, especially right now, need to follow and live his example,” the mayor said. “Because as we all know, the so-called leader of the Free World, and his friends at the highest levels of government, are repeating the same racist attacks that Dr. Carlos faced, except now they call it DEI instead of saying the word ‘n***er,’ which is what they really want to say. They want to turn back the clock, to a time that was an imaginary time for many in our community. But for some — like Dr. Carlos, like my grandparents, like my Dad — it isn’t that long ago. A time that they all thought was great because they thought that everyone knew their place and would stay in it.
“Well, we know that’s not an option now and it wasn’t an option then,” Scott said. “Dr. Carlos…showed that. And in him, we have a blueprint for speaking up and fighting back. So thank you for showing us the way, then and now.”
Mayoral citation and wearable art
Scott gave Carlos a mayoral citation and a t-shirt that he had made, saying Carlos is the first person outside his family who has one. It bears the words:
Blackness Today
Blackness Tomorrow
Blackness Forever
AVAM’s leaders gave Carlos a ‘wearable art’ jacket designed by Baltimore native Akio Evans, as the embodiment of the Lifetime Grand Visionary Award.
Here is the wording on the mayor’s citation:
On behalf of the people of Baltimore, I am pleased to salute Dr. John Carlos, in recognition of your receiving the Lifetime Grand Visionary Award from the American Visionary Art Museum. In addition to being a 1968 Olympic Bronze Medalist, you have also made a positive impact globally through your ongoing humanitarian efforts, mentoring and literary contributions. For the past 57 years, your bravery, commitment to activism and athletic prowess has empowered and inspired countless individuals in Baltimore and beyond. You are to be commended for your ongoing advocacy, activism and unwavering commitment to equity and the preservation of human rights. On behalf of the people of Baltimore, I commend you on this special occasion, and offer best wishes for a memorable celebration and continued impact! Congratulations!
June 28, 2025
Brandon M. Scott, Mayor.
‘Surreal moment’
After the gala, Scott posted on Instagram about meeting Carlos.
“Words cannot describe how much of a surreal moment the AVAM gala was for me,” he wrote. “As a black man who grew up running track, Dr. John Carlos is one of my heroes. Not just because he was an athlete but also because of his fearlessness when it came to doing the right thing no matter the personal cost to him. To meet him and honor him was already special enough. But to have him say he follows me and is proud of me almost brought me to tears. I could have listened to him talk for 10 hours straight. Thank you @JohnCarlos1968 for your life lived with a purpose and discipline!”
“Good Sports: The Wisdom & Fun of Fair Play” will be on view in AVAM’s Zanvyl A. Krieger Building, 800 Key Highway, until August 31.
