Jesse Owens

James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens was an American track and field athlete who made history at the 1936 Olympic Games by winning four gold medals and setting Olympic records in each event. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes in track and field history.

Owens excelled in events like short sprints and the long jump. In 1935, at the Big Ten Championships in Ann Arbor, Michigan, he won four events, set five world records, and tied another—all in less than an hour, a feat that has never been equaled.

He achieved international fame at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, by winning four gold medals: 100 meters, long jump, 200 meters, and 4 × 100-meter relay. He was the most successful athlete at the Games.

The Jesse Owens Award is USA Track & Field's highest honor for the year's best track and field athlete. In 1950, Owens was voted the greatest track and field athlete for the first half of the century. In 1999, he was ranked among the greatest athletes of the twentieth century.

Early life and education

Jesse Owens, originally named J. C., was the youngest of ten children born to a sharecropper and his wife in Oakville, Alabama, on September 12, 1913. When he was nine, his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, during a time when many African Americans moved north for better lives. His teacher misunderstood his name as "Jesse," and that became the name he used.

While growing up, Jesse worked various jobs after school, such as delivering groceries and fixing shoes. He loved running and was encouraged by his junior high school track coach, Charles Riley, who let him practice before school. Jesse met his future wife, Minnie Ruth Solomon, in school, and they married in 1935. He began making a name for himself in track and field while still in high school, setting records in running and long jump.

Career

Ohio State University

Jesse Owens started at Ohio State University in 1933. He was called the "Buckeye Bullet" and, with coach Larry Snyder, won eight NCAA championships in just two years. Though he did very well in sports, Owens faced unfair treatment because of his race. He had to live off campus and eat at restaurants only for people of his race. He also had to stay in hotels that were only for people of his race. Owens worked part-time jobs to pay for school and struggled with his studies. He left Ohio State in 1941 without finishing his degree.

Day of days

On May 25, 1935, Jesse Owens had an amazing day at the Big Ten Championships in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He won four events and set six world records in just 45 minutes! He tied the world record for the 100-yard dash and set new records in the long jump, 220 yards sprint, and 220-yard low hurdles. This amazing performance is still considered one of the greatest in sports history.

1936 Big Ten Championships

At the 1936 Big Ten Championships, Owens won the long jump, 100-yard dash, 220-yard dash, and 100-yard low hurdles. He finished his Big Ten career undefeated, with nine titles in nine events.

USA Track and Field Championships

At the 1934 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships, Owens won the long jump with a world-record jump. Two years later, at the Outdoor Championships, he broke his own long jump record again and also set a new championship record in the 100 meters. Over his career at these championships, Owens won six gold medals—five in the long jump and one in the 100 meters.

1936 Berlin Summer Olympics

In 1936, Owens traveled to Berlin for the Summer Olympics. On August 3, he won the 100 m dash. On August 4, he won the long jump. On August 5, he won the 200 meter sprint. And on August 9, he helped his team win the 4 × 100 m sprint relay, setting a world record. Owens won four gold medals, a feat not matched until Carl Lewis did the same in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

Owens’s victories were important because they happened during a difficult time in history. After the games, Owens returned to the United States where he was honored by people, though he still faced unfair treatment because of his race.

Life after the Olympics

After the 1936 Olympics, Jesse Owens faced many challenges. Despite his success, he struggled to find work and took on difficult jobs to earn a living. He had to race against animals for money because opportunities were limited for African Americans at that time.

Owens used his fame to support others and promote equality. He traveled the world as a goodwill ambassador and spoke about the importance of physical exercise. He also worked with companies and shared his experiences to inspire young people. Even when facing personal struggles, Owens remained a strong voice for fairness and opportunity for all.

Legacy

Jesse Owens is remembered as one of the greatest athletes in track and field history. He won many titles, including nine Big Ten titles, eight NCAA titles, and six USA Track & Field titles. His biggest achievements came at the Olympics, where he won four gold medals, each setting a new Olympic record. His success showed the world that everyone, no matter their background, could achieve amazing things.

After his sports career, Owens faced challenges finding stable work, partly because of the limited chances for African American athletes at the time. Even though he was a hero for his Olympic wins, he wasn’t invited to the White House or honored by the U.S. government back then. Later, he received important awards like the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal.

Schools, streets, and sports places are named after Owens, and many movies and books tell his story. One special place is the dormitory he stayed in during the Olympics, now a museum showing his achievements.

Athletic achievements

Jesse Owens was an amazing athlete who won many races and jumps during his school, college, and Olympic years. He started at Fairmount Junior High School, where he became a champion in high jump, hurdles, and sprints. Later, at East Technical High School, he won many more titles in long jump and dashes.

When Jesse went to Ohio State University, he kept winning! He was a champion in the 60-yard dash, long jump, and many other events in meets across the country. His biggest success came in the 1936 Olympic Games, where he won four gold medals: in the 100 metres, 200 metres, long jump, and the 4 × 100 metres relay. These wins showed how truly talented Jesse Owens was.

Awards and honors

Halls of Fame

Jesse Owens was honored by being included in many important sports halls of fame. Some of these include the Helms Athletic Foundation, Drake Relays, Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, and the National Track and Field Hall of Fame, among others.

Awards and tributes

Throughout his life and after his death, Jesse Owens received many awards and honors for his achievements. He was named the most outstanding athlete of the Olympic Trials in 1936 and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1976. Many places, such as parks and schools, were named after him, and statues were erected in his honor. He continues to be remembered as one of the greatest athletes in history.

The Jesse Owens Rising Star Award

Starting in 2024, the Owens family, the Jesse Owens Foundation, and the Wanda Diamond League began giving out the Jesse Owens Rising Star Award. This award is for two amazing young athletes, one boy and one girl, who are 23 years old or younger.

Each winner gets a special bronze statue of Jesse Owens, made by a sculptor from Belgium. To celebrate the winners, two oak trees are planted in the city where the award ceremony happens. The first ceremony was in Brussels in September 2024. The winners were Diribe Welteji, who won a silver medal at the 2023 World Championship, and Letsile Tebogo, who won a gold medal at the 2024 Olympic Games.

Filmography

Other

• In 2017, the film Get Out directed by Jordan Peele featured a character who lost a race to Jesse Owens before the 1936 Olympics.
• In 2019, Jojo Rabbit directed by Taika Waititi included a humorous moment where a character compared another to Jesse Owens.
• In 2023, The Boys in the Boat showed Jesse Owens briefly when the University of Washington Eight rowing team entered the stadium with the United States Olympic team.