[TheLegacy]

1936 Olympics Jesse Owens

as the Nazi's were becoming a stronger threat - there opinions of the athletic superiority of their race over the world dominated the scenes behind the games. Add to that their well known prejudice against blacks - so here was this black runner up against all those fine german uber-boys, with the world watching - I quote his site


http://www.jesseowens.com/jobio2.html

"By the end of his sophomore year at Ohio State, Jesse realized that he could be successful on a more competitive level. Jesse entered the 1936 Olympics, which to many are known as the "Hitler Olympics." These games were to be held in Nazi Germany, and Hitler was going to prove to the world that the German "Aryan" people were the dominant race. Jesse had different plans, however, and by the end of the games even German fans cheered for him.

Jesse was triumphant in the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash and the broad jump. He was also a key member of the 400-meter relay team that won the Gold Medal. In all but one of these events Jesse set Olympic records. Jesse was the first American in the history of Olympic Track and Field to win four gold medals in a single Olympics."


- the man has to be remembered for standing up and winning the first big battle against Hitler and the Nazi's - a battle of morality and his victory also gave the blacks at that time much needed recognition during a time when they were considered second class americans and shunned because of their color. He changed how the world saw blacks at that time and gave pride to a whole race, country and world - not too mention his record still stands today