Contents
Athlete
Jesse Owens
Famoose for
Winning four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Big Ten meeting · Sprint titles
- Born
- 12 September 1913
- Birthplace
- Oakville, United States
- Died
- 31 March 1980
More people
Jesse Owens
Jesse Owens was an American sprinter and long jumper whose achievements challenged racist expectations on an international stage.
Early life
Family move
Grew up in Alabama and Cleveland.
College
Competed at Ohio State University.
Career
- 1930s
College records
Established himself as an exceptional athlete.
- 1936
Berlin Olympics
Won four gold medals.
- Later life
Public work
Worked in business, speaking and youth programmes.
Achievements
Big Ten meeting
Set or equalled multiple world records in one afternoon.
Sprint titles
Won the 100m and 200m.
Jump and relay
Won long jump and 4×100m gold.
Beyond athletics
Racism at home
Returned to a United States still shaped by segregation.
Public speaking
Later addressed audiences about sport and opportunity.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Photo: Acme News Photos. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
