African American Hero of the Day

Jesse Owens (1913-1980)

Track and Field Athlete

James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens was born on September 12, 1913, in Danville, Alabama, Jesse and his family moved to Ohio when he was still young; the name "Jesse" derived from the way a teacher pronounced his initials, "J. C."

In 1932, while attending East Technical High School in Cleveland, Owens gained national fame with a 10.3 clocking in the 100#meter dash. Two years later Owens entered Ohio State University, and for the next four years he made track history, becoming universally known as "The Ebony Antelope." While competing in the Big Ten Championships at Ann Arbor, Michigan, on May 25, 1935, Owens had what has been called "the greatest single day in the history of man's athletic achievements." In the space of about forty-five minutes, he tied the world record for the 100#yard dash and surpassed the world record for the broad jump, the 220#yard low hurdles, and the 220#yard dash.

At the Berlin Olympics in 1936 Owens won four gold medals--at that time the most universally acclaimed feat in the history of the Games. When Adolf Hitler refused to present him with the medals he had won in the various competitions, Owens's fame became even more widespread as a result of the publicity. Although the track and field records set by Owens have all been eclipsed, his reputation as one of the first great athletes with the combined talents of a sprinter, low hurdler, and broad jumper has hardly diminished with the passage of time.

From African American Almanac: 400 Years of Triumph, Courage and Excellence by Lean'tin Bracks, (c) 2012 Visible Ink Press(R). A wealth of milestones, inspiration, and challenges met . . .