Jesse Owens

One of the best track and field athletes of all time was Jesse Owens. Jesse’s talent and abilities still inspire many people. Jesse set his first record in junior high school. By high school, he was known across the nation. He decided to attend college in Ohio. While competing in college track-and-field meets, Jesse broke three world records and tied a fourth. It took 25 years before anyone broke the running broad-jump record he set at that time.

A year later, Jesse was able to compete in the Olympic Games held in Berlin. The year was 1936, and during that time Adolf Hitler was building up the Nazi Party in Germany. That year, Hitler said that no black person could possibly beat his “Master Race” athletes. Hitler couldn’t have been more wrong. Jesse set records at this Olympics while at the same time beating Hitler’s athletes.

In that Olympics, Jesse tied the record in the 100-meter sprint. He ran on the 400-meter relay team and set a record. He also set new Olympic and world records for the 200-meter sprint and the running broad-jump. He was incredible! Hitler was very upset. He did not even stay in the stadium. He left so that he wouldn’t have to see Jesse being awarded any of the gold medals he had won.