Owens, Jesse (1913–1980), track‐and‐field star, winner of four gold medals in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.Born in Oakville, Alabama, Owens first gained notice as a track‐and‐field performer at East Technical High School in Cleveland, Ohio. Under the tutelage of coach Charles Riley, Owens captured three titles at the National Interscholastic Track and Field Meet in 1933 in
Chicago. Continuing his athletic career at Ohio State University, he further enhanced his reputation as one of the nation's greatest track‐and‐field stars. At the Western Conference Championships in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 1935, Owens put on one of the most memorable single‐day performances in the history of the sport. Within a span of 45 minutes, he tied the world record in the 100‐meter dash and broke world records in the broad jump, 200‐yard dash, and 220‐yard low hurdles. Remarkable as these performances were, it was Owens's triumphs in the politically charged 1936 Berlin Olympics that brought him lasting fame. His four gold medals helped discredit Adolf Hitler's assertions of Aryan racial superiority and laid the groundwork for an unprecedented record of performance by
African Americans in Olympic track and field.
Following the Berlin games, Owens was reduced to running races against horses for money and pursued several failed business ventures. Later in life he worked for several public agencies; toured on behalf of the U.S. Department of State; and spoke to business, religious, civic, and sports groups. In 1974, he was elected as a charter member of the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.
See also
Sports: Amateur Sports and Recreation.
Bibliography
Marc Bloom , Jesse Owens: The Legacy of an American Hero, Runner, June 1980, 30–31.
William J. Baker , Jesse Owens: An American Life, 1986.
David K. Wiggins