The American athlete Jesse Owens made sports history. At the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, he won in four disciplines. A Black sports superstar – not everyone was pleased about that.
Who Was Jesse Owens?
James Cleveland Owens, known as Jesse, was born in 1913 in Alabama. His parents were tenant farmers there. Later, he grew up in Ohio. His astonishing sprinting talent was already evident in high school.
He financed his studies at Ohio State University in Columbus by working at gas stations and as a hotel bellboy. He originally wanted to become a teacher at a school for Black students. But fate had other plans.
Even before the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Jesse Owens had already made headlines. On May 25, 1935, the Black superstar achieved worldwide fame. Within just 45 minutes at a sports event at the University of Michigan, he set five world records – despite having suffered a spinal injury the day before in a scuffle among students. His new long jump world record (8.13 meters) stood for over 25 years.
However, the American press gave only brief recognition to Owens’ achievements. At that time, few wanted to acknowledge a Black American superstar.
What Were Jesse Owens’ Achievements at the 1936 Olympics?
In 1936, Owens won victory after victory. The consistency of his world-class performances was astonishing. At the university championships on June 20, 1936, in Chicago, he became the first sprinter in history to run 100 meters in 10.2 seconds.
The German audience also celebrated Owens enthusiastically. He befriended his competitor Carl Ludwig "Luz" Long from Leipzig, whom he pushed into second place in the long jump.
The Friendship Between Luz Long and Jesse Owens
It was said that Long had given Owens a crucial tip for his run-up after he had failed two qualifying attempts in the long jump competition. On his third attempt, Owens cleared the required 7.15 meters and later that same afternoon became Olympic champion.
Long secured second place and was the first to congratulate his newfound friend. However, Owens later clarified that the story about Long’s advice was not true – people simply wanted to believe it.
U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt refrained from congratulating the Black athlete. He was in the middle of an election campaign and feared losing votes from Southern states if he openly acknowledged Owens.
The German dictator Adolf Hitler was also displeased: a Black American winning in Nazi Germany and then even befriending a German athlete. Propaganda Minister Joseph Goebbels noted:
"We Germans win one gold medal, the Americans three, two of which are by Negroes. That is a disgrace. The white race should be ashamed."
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