Jesse Owens: A Historic Trailblazer & Game Changer
It is one thing to go against all odds and become an Olympian. It is something else entirely to go against the entire world.
This is precisely what Jesse Owens did in 1936.
In a world that doubted the athleticism of individuals on the basis of their skin color, Jesse Owens boldly won four Olympic Gold Medals in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Why is this moment significant? And how did he get here?
Owens was born in Oakville, Alabama in 1913. His family moved to Ohio, where he would begin to build up his athletics career. Appropriately nicknamed "The Buckeye Bullet,” Owens brought speed to Cleveland. Competing for his high school in Ohio, Owens won 3 events at the 1933 National Interscholastic Champions.
He continued his academic and athletic career at Ohio State University. In college, he pursued track & field with vigor and remained a stand-out competitor. In the Big Ten Conference in 1935, Owens equaled the world record for the 100-yard dash (9.4 sec) and broke the world records for the 220-yard dash (20.3 sec), the 220-yard low hurdles (22.6 sec), and the long jump (8.13 metres / 26.67 feet]).
With such a phenomenal performance under his belt, he was ready for the Olympic stage.
However, these games were different than any before. The Nazi party had taken control of Germany in 1934, and all power in Germany was centralized in Hitler’s person. As such, the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games were designed to be a German showcase and a statement for Aryan supremacy.
Hitler criticized America for including Black athletes on its Olympic roster. It was in these very games that a Black man would win 4 Olympic Gold medals for the United States.
Owens competed in the 100m, 200m, long jump, and relay teams for the United States in the 1936 Olympic Games. He won the gold medal in each event he competed. His performances were spectacular, with a 100-metre run of 10.3 seconds (an Olympic record), a 200-metre run of 20.7 seconds (a world record), a long jump of 8.06 meters ( 26.4 feet), and winning 4 × 100-meter relay (39.8 sec).
This performance is one of legendary proportion. In addition to wining four gold medals, he established a record for the long jump that stood for 25 years. This would be broken by fellow United States athlete, Ralph Boston, in 1960.
Although Owens helped ensure that the United States triumphed at the games, he was not met with a celebratory return. The president at the time, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, did not congratulate Owens. This was atypical behavior for champions at the time. In fact, Owens would not be truly recognized for his athletic feats until 1976. Under President Gerald Ford, Owens was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
After 1936 Olympic Games, Owens retired from athletics. He used his speed and physical prowess to earn money in other means, such as by racing cars and horses. He even played basketball with the Harlem Globetrotters. Owens eventually found his calling in public relations and marketing, and he set up a business in Chicago.
Beginning in December 1979, he was hospitalized on and off with lung cancer. He later passed away in 1980. However, Owens’ legacy outlives him. For his phenomenal, stereotype defining performance in the 1936 Olympic Games, he is truly a legend who shaped the game of track and field. Paving the way for all people to be considered for their athletic merit.
