The Buckeye Bullet in the 1936 Olympics

Courtney Mathis Paper

Junior Division Word Count: 2496

Jesse Owens was a substantial influence to track and field. The African

American stood up against racism by winning four gold medals in the 1936 Olympics.

Early Life

Born in 1913, Jesse Owens grew up facing many challenges. His family was

extremely poor; Jesse’s parents were sharecroppers and his grandparents were

slaves. As an African American, he already faced challenges on top of his family’s

income. However, Jesse had a good life even during rough times.

"We used to have a lot of fun. We always ate. The fact that we

didn't have steak? Who had steak?" -Jesse Owens 1

Jesse would sometimes be very sick as a child; he suffered from chronic

bronchial congestion and pneumonia. Every winter, his family prayed for his health.

The Owens family tried to help by using all the resources they had or could afford but

their salary did not call for a doctor. Still, every year, many people were worried Jesse

may not live to see spring. Home remedies were all Jesse could rely on.

Jesse and his family, consisting of two parents and ten children, had to start

working very young. To help with the workload, Jesse was working on cotton

plantations when he was only seven. School was not part of his life, and running was

not anywhere on his mind, at this age. To be exact, he did not start running until after

his family moved from Alabama to Ohio. In Cleveland, Ohio, Jesse first attended

school at Fairmont Junior High, where he eventually joined track. His health improved

1"News." News | Jesse Owens . Luminary Group, Jan. 1988. Web. 25 Nov. 2016. <http://www.jesseowens.com/quotes/>. "we used to have a lot of fun. We never had any problems. We always ate. The fact that we didn't have steak? Who had steak?"

1

after he started track and field; his lungs were constantly being trained and he was

slowly getting healthier. So, Jesse stayed positive and pushed himself in his events. He

was so determined, Owens went to the track before school hours and received

one-on-one coaching, so after school he could still work. Nobody expected the

unhealthy son of a sharecropper to achieve the dream Jesse did.

Starting Off Big

Some of his most monumental track and field accomplishments before

participating in the Olympics consist of becoming captain of his Ohio State University

team, equaling one world record, and breaking three other world records. With over ten

thousand people watching at the Big Ten College Track and Field Championships in

Michigan, he equaled the world record in the 100-yard dash with 9.4 seconds, and set

records in the long jump at 26 feet 8¼ inches, 220-yard dash with only 20.3 seconds,

and the 220-yard low hurdles reaching only 22.6 seconds. He achieved all of this even 2

while injured; the day prior to the championships, Jesse had slipped on stairs, injuring

his tailbone. He was so dedicated, he spent the morning of the meet in a hot tub, to

loosen the muscles, and pushed through the pain. All within 1935, Jesse competed in

42 events and won every single one. At this point in his life, Jesse did not experience 3

much racial discrimination.

“It dawned on me with blinding brightness. I realized: I had jumped into another rare kind of stratosphere—one that only a handful of people in

every generation are lucky enough to know.” - Jesse Owens 4

2 Morrison, Mike. "Jesse Owens." Infoplease . Infoplease, n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2016. <http://www.infoplease.com/spot/summer-olympics-jesse-owens.html>. Jesse’s long jump is around twenty six feet! 3 Biography.com Editors. "Jesse Owens Biography."biography.com A&E Networks Television, 13 Feb. 2016. Web. 24 Jan. 2017. <http://www.biography. com/people/jesse-owens-9431142#1936-olympic-games>. Jesse won all 42 events he competed in within 1935. 4"The Legendary Jesse Owens." Big Ten Conference Official Site . N.p., n.d. Web. 31 Jan. 2017. <http://www.bigten.org/genrel/013007aai.html>. “I had jumped into another rare kind of stratosphere… ”

2

Great Influences

Charles Riley was Jesse’s first coach at Fairmount Junior High School. He

realized Jesse was advanced in track and made extra practice sessions in the morning

so track would not interfere with Jesse’s after-school work at home. Riley took Jesse

under his wing, treating him like a son, which was substantial considering he was a

white man coaching an African American and the current racial segregation. The coach

helped Owens with his running style by taking him to horse races for inspiration; he

also gave Jesse more confidence by helping him off of the field with other subjects.

Later in life, between 1946 and 1960, the duo had no contact. They met again when

Riley accepted an invitation to honor Owens, but this was their last encounter because

Charles died later that year.

“As I'd learned long ago from Riley, the only victory that

counts is the one over yourself." - Jesse Owens 5

Another one of Jesse’s coaches was Larry Snyder. Larry taught Jesse

techniques and performance tips that helped form the Olympian. The Ohio State

University coach thought Jesse’s starts were too slow and taught him to crouch tightly.

Also, Jesse’s legendary long jump improved when Larry told him to move his legs while

in the air. Snyder was an amazing coach because he was once an athlete in Jesse’s

spot, on his was for Paris in 1924. Snyder couldn’t compete because he had gotten in

5Spring, Joe. "10 Things You Didn't Know About Jesse Owens."Outside Online . Outside Magazine, 2 Aug. 2012. Web. 11 Jan. 2017. <https:pics// www.outsideonline.com/1902576/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-jesse-owens-and-1936-olym>. “only victory that counts is the one over yourself."

3

an airplane crash prior, ending his career as an athlete for good. Since Snyder couldn’t

reach the Olympics, he wanted to help someone else achieve his unattainable dream.

The German man that helped Jesse was Luz Long. During the Olympic

qualifying, Jesse went over the line on his long jump two times but Long saw his

potential. So, Long put a mark a foot behind the line and Jesse qualified. They

exchanged long jump strategies during 1936, the year they both attended the

Olympics. Long ended up getting second, behind Jesse, in the Olympic long jump. The

two men respected each other so much that they embraced and

took the victory lap arm in arm. They ended up exchanging letters

until Long died in World War II. In the last letter, pictured, Long 6

writes, “my heart tells me this is the last letter I‘ll ever write. If so, I

ask you something very important to me… It’s you go to Germany when this war is

done, find my son Karl. Tell him about his father… I now believe in God. And I pray to

him that, these words will be read by you.” 7

Making A Statement

The NAACP, National Association for the Advancement of Colored People,

convinced Jesse to make a movement against the Olympic Games. Jesse stated, “If

there are minorities in Germany who are being discriminated against, the United States

should withdraw from the 1936 Olympics.” Owens, and all other athletes, were later 8

6"Tell Him about His Father." Letters of Note . N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2016. <http://www.lettersofnote.com/2016/08/tell-him-about-his-father.html>. Last letter from Long to Owens. 7"Tell Him about His Father." Letters of Note . N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2016. <http://www.lettersofnote.com/2016/08/tell-him-about-his-father.html>. Summarized letter from Long. 8Kendi, Ibram X., Renee D. Says, and Eric Floyd Says. "On the Racist Ideas Jesse Owens Could Not Outrun." AAIHS . N.p., 21 Feb. 2016. Web. 22 Dec. 2016. <http://www.aaihs.org/on-the-racist-ideas-jesse-owens-could-not-outrun/> “we should withdraw from the Olympics”.

4

forced to keep quiet and participate in the games; the president of the American

Olympic Committee talked down about supporters of the boycott as “un-American

agitators.” All participants of the movement competed in the games, despite the fact 9

that the boycott was against what came to be known as human rights abuse. Although

the boycott ultimately failed, it set an example for future Olympic boycott campaigns,

such as those in 2008 and 2014. At the time, boycotts were new events to the U.S.

1936 Olympics

Jesse Owens went on to compete in the Berlin Olympics of 1936. Jesse won

four gold medals consisting of the events 100m, 200m, 4x100 relay and the long jump.

He expected to only compete in three events, not including the 4x100 relay. After

setting a world record in the 200-meter dash, pushing against the

wind, Jesse was ordered to compete once again. United States

officials changed the line-up at the last minute to stop fielding Jewish

athletes to help please the Germans; the 4x100 relay team needed a replacement.

Owens did not want to continue competing but he had no choice. The relay made

Jesse the first African American athlete to win four gold medals within one Olympic

game. This legacy stood for fifty years. 1011

Owens had many obstacles to overcome; he did not have a straight ride to

making it big in track and field because of his race and income. He is now considered

9Kendi, Ibram X., Renee D. Says, and Eric Floyd Says. "On the Racist Ideas Jesse Owens Could Not Outrun." AAIHS . N.p., 21 Feb. 2016. Web. 22 Dec. 2016. <http://www.aaihs.org/on-the-racist-ideas-jesse-owens-could-not-outrun/> “we should withdraw from Olympics”, “un-American agitators. 10 "AE Jesse Owens." PBS . PBS, n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2017. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/introduction/owens/>. Jesse had to replace a Jewish man in the 4x100 relay, allowing him to reach four gold medals. 11"News." News | Jesse Owens . Luminary Group, Jan. 1988. Nov. 2016. <http://www.jesseowens.com/news/>. Jesse Owens stands on the podium.

5

one of the greatest the track has ever seen. His relay record wasn’t beat for twenty

years and his long jump’s legacy of 8.13m, over 26 feet, lasted another twenty-five

years. To use Jesse’s words, “we all have dreams. But in order 12

to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of

determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.” 13

Jesse’s best event was most likely the 100m dash. For comparison, Jesse ran

10.3 seconds in 1936; Usain Bolt, the current fastest man, ran 9.69 seconds in 2012.

Both men were the fastest of their time, separated by under one second.

During the Olympics, Jesse got standing ovations from many varieties of people

in the crowd. Scholar W.E.B. Du Bois reported from Berlin at the time that Jesse was

“unable to take a step without being begged for his autograph.” All-in-all, Jesse’s 14

performance proved that anyone with a lot of determination, motivation, perseverance,

and a good attitude can make their dreams come true.

“Jesse’s achievements led the people of Berlin to hail him, an African American, a hero.”

- Jesse’s wife of eighty-five years, Minnie Ruth Solomon 15

Standing Up Against Hitler

While in Germany, Jesse stood up against racism, cruelty, and

separatism. Before the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Hitler made it very clear

that he was using this year to prove that the Nazis were racially superior

12@olympics. "Jesse OWENS." International Olympic Committee . N.p., 16 June 2016. Web. 11 Oct. 2016. <https://www.olympic.org/jesse-owens>. I used this as a primary source because there are multiple images of Owens that helped back up my information. 13Jesse Owens Olympic Oak Trees Survive! Jesse Owens Olympic Oak Trees Survive! N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Jan. 2017. <http://www.posterxpress.com/ Jesse/other_articles.htm>. Multiple articles about Jesse Owens were gathered here including multiple quotes. 14Kendi, Ibram X., Renee D. Says, and Eric Floyd Says. "On the Racist Ideas Jesse Owens Could Not Outrun." AAIHS . N.p., 21 Feb. 2016. Web. 22 Dec. 2016. <http://www.aaihs.org/on-the-racist-ideas-jesse-owens-could-not-outrun/>. “[Jesse was] unable to take a step without being begged” 15Olympic. "Jesse Owens Explains the Mind of a Sprinter." YouTube . YouTube, 21 Oct. 2016. Web. 25 Oct. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=0r1Qdo Rbq k&feature=player_embedded>. Jesse Owens describes his life as a runner and the steps he took.

6

to all other races. Hitler believed people with different characteristics were lower than

the Aryan race, so he was positive Germany would bring home the most gold medals.

Owens, and other track participants, proved him wrong

after beating many of the people Hitler had expected to win.

Hitler was humiliated within track and field; however, Germany beat out every 16

country in all sports combined. The U.S. came in second, having 56 medals, Germany

ended with 89. To prove his thoughts, Hitler funded a large amount of the Berlin

Games to improve Nazi ideology. He was expecting to get something back from the

games: gold medals. The Nazi government used their athletes to strengthen the Aryan

race. So, Non-Aryans were purposely removed from sport facilities or organizations

under Nazi sponsors. 171819

Also, many people said Hitler snubbed Jesse by not honoring him. Actually,

Hitler shook hands with the German victors the first day. Later, the Olympic Committee

said he had to do the same with everyone or no one to keep Olympic neutrality. Hitler

chose to honor nobody.

“Do you really think I will allow myself to be photographed shaking hands with a Negro?” -Hitler 2021

16 Schaap, Jeremy. Triumph: Jesse Owens & Hitler's Olympics . Rearsby, Leicester: WF Howes, 2008. Print. Jesse received ovations from all races at the Olympics. 17 "Jesse Owens." The Lincoln Library of Sports Champions . Vol. 8. Cleveland, OH: Lincoln Library, 2007. Print. Hitler funded much of the Olympics. 18 "Track & Field Results for the 1936 Summer Olympics." Track & Field Results for the 1936 Summer Olympics . Databasesports, 2002. Web. 22 Nov. 2016. Germany beat the USA overall.. 19 Hitler, Adolf. Hitler's Secret Book . New York: Grove, 1962. Print. Hitler wrote multiple books and looked very serious. 20 Shenkman, Rick. "Adolf Hitler, Jesse Owens and the Olympics Myth of 1936."History News Network . N.p., 08 July 2002. Web. 22 Dec. 2016. <http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/571> Showed multiple varying views on Jesse Owens.

7

Reactions

A negative reaction Jesse witnessed would be after the Olympics. Jesse had

been away from his wife and children for many months by this point and wanted to go

home as soon as he was able. Post-Olympics, Owens and his teammates were

persuaded to go on a European fundraising tour for the Amateur Athletic Union.

Olympic officials even made it seem as important as the Olympics in some ways by

trying to force the teammates to participate. One Olympic official even threatened to

damage Jesse’s amateur athletic standing if Owens did not attend. Yet, Jesse missed

his family so much that he went home despite all threats, and Brundage kept hold of

his threat. Since he left in 1936, Jesse was banned from competing in any sanctioned

sporting event in the United States.

Jesse impacted racial rights. For example, he was the first African American to

be the captain in the Big Ten. They gave him this role after his performance in which

he set one and broke three additional world records. Although their unfair status stayed

the same, Jesse contributed to the breakthrough for African Americans. Newspapers

in the south even found his feat so great that he was the first non-white athlete to be

featured in multiple Southern newspapers. Jesse made it more acceptable for the

entire nation to respect and support a man of unequal rights. All of these events

changed our society by helping progress racial integration. 22

21Altman, Susan. Extraordinary African-Americans . New York: Children's, 2001. Print. Hitler expected his race to win more golds than all other races. 22"Black Americana." Black Americana - Rare Newspapers.com . N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Jan. 2017. <http://www.rarenewspapers.com/list/black?page=4>. Newspaper states, “110,000 See Owens Set World Record At Olympic Games”

8

Discrimination Continues

After returning home, Jesse was snubbed by Franklin D. Roosevelt, the current

president. This mattered more to Jesse than being ridiculed by Hitler, who was known

for treating non-Aryans horribly. FDR had no excuse for not congratulating, offering a

handshake, or inviting Jesse to the White House. Also, as Jesse searched for lodging

his first night back,he was forced to use the service entrance. Owens received parties

to celebrate his feat; but in the end, he was an African American in a white world.

Afterwards

Racism at home had denied Owens the financial benefits of his victory in the

Olympics. Jesse had to work after the Olympics to provide for his family. Him and his

wife, Minnie Ruth Solomon, had three girls: Gloria, Marlene, and Beverly. His family

meant the world to him and it showed by the work he put in to provide for them. He

tried racing cars, people, and even horses after 1936.

“People said it was degrading for an Olympic champion to run against a horse, but what was I supposed to do? I

had four gold medals; you can't eat four gold medals.” 23

After many years of working as an athlete, Jesse needed to keep up the income

to support his family. Some jobs he worked include: being the owner of a laundromat,

jazz radio, and public relations firm, and working as a playground director.

23Broughton, Philip Delves. "Forget Hitler - It Was America That Snubbed Jesse Owens." Daily Mail Online . Associated Newspapers, 11 Aug. 2009. Web. 29 Jan. 2017. <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1205901/Forget-Hitler.html>. “Degrading for an Olympian to race horses…”

9

One thing Jesse focused on, after his jobs stated above didn’t quite fit him, was

helping youth all over the world. This impacts lives now because many children met a

man that had achieved so much with so little starting advantages. Jesse developed

multiple careers working with, and standing to improve the

image of, disadvantaged children and later geared his work

toward standing up for African American children. In 1956,

Owens organized the Junior Olympic Games for children in

Chicago and became a sports specialist for the Illinois Youth Commission. Jesse also

created the ARCO Jesse Owens Games in 1964 for kids.All of his achievements

benefitted millions. He helped people not only physically improve, but mentally

advance with these scholarships given to select children. 24

Awards

Thirty-two years after the Olympics, OSU awarded Jesse an honorary doctorate

of athletic arts “for his unparalleled skill and ability…and his personification of

sportsmanship ideals." In 1976, Jesse accepted the Medal of Freedom from 25

President Gerald Ford. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter honored Jesse with a Living

Legend Award. After a long stay in a Phoenix hospital, Jesse’s childhood health issues

caught up with him. He died of lung cancer of March 31, 1980. Still, his legacy stands;

ten years after Jesse’s death, Owens won a Congressional

Gold Medal which George Bush presented to Jesse’s

24"Jesse Owens at ARCO Games."Jesse Owens Gives Runners Medals at the ARCO Jesse Owens Games, 1970s . Ohio State University, n.d. Web. 03 Jan. 2017. <http://kb.osu.edu/dspace/handle/1811/58109>. Jesse gives Olympic-like medals to runners at the 1970 ARCO Jesse Owens Games. 25"Jesse Owens | The Ohio State University." Jesse Owens | The Ohio State University . N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2016. <https://library.osu.edu/projects/jesse- owens/storyohiostatehtml>. “for his unparalleled skill and ability and his sportsmanship ideals.”

10

widow. President Bush even stated Jesse was an, “Olympic hero and an American

hero every day of his life.” Bush didn’t ignore Owens as Roosevelt did years back. 26

Lastly, in 2013, one of Jesse’s Olympic medals sold for a grand amount. Jesse’s medal

reached a record price for Olympic memorabilia at 1.4 million dollars. 2728

Altogether, Jesse Owens influenced the entire nation. By standing up to Hitler

over eighty years ago, Jesse’s legacy stood, and the effects are still being felt today.

Track and field has been forever changed because of Jesse’s Olympic feat. This

extraordinary man made many people rethink about the racism and stereotypes that

they all knew existed.

26"Jesse Owens Biography." Encyclopedia of World Biography . N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2017. http://www.notablebiographies.com/Ni-Pe/Owens- Jesse.html#ixzz4ZM1Q1q8y. Jesse received many awards after the Olympics. 27"Jesse Owens Olympic Gold Medal Auctioned for Record $1.4M." NY Daily News . The Associated Press, 09 Dec. 2013. Web. 09 Dec. 2016. <http://www. nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/jesse-owens-olympic-gold-medal-auctioned-record-1-4m-article-1.1541719>. One of Jesse’s medals recently auctioned for 1.4 million dollars, the record price. 28 Medal Tree . N.d. Jesse Owens Memorial Park, Oakville, Alabama. Jesse Owens Museum RSS . Web. 09 Jan. 2017. <http://jesse owens memorialpark.com/wordpress1/museum> Jesse Owens has a memorial park of all the information about him.

11

The Buckeye Bullet—

Bibliography

Courtney Mathis Paper

Junior Division

12

Primary Sources @blackhistorynow. "Jesse Owens Biography at Black History Now." Black Heritage Commemorative Society . N.p., 16 Aug. 2011. Web. 27 Dec. 2016. <http://black historynow.com/jesse-owens/>. Jesse developed a career working with children after returning home from Berlin. @iaaforg. "IAAF: Families of Jesse Owens, Luz Long to Unite at World Championships | News."iaaf.org N.p., 05 Aug. 2009. Web. 19 Dec. 2016. <https://www.iaaf.org/news/news/families-of-jesse-owens-luz-long-to-unite-at>. Luz and Jesse’s families go to the Berlin Olympic stadium for a special event in their honor. @olympics. "Jesse OWENS." International Olympic Committee . N.p., 16 June 2016. Web. 11 Oct. 2016. <https://www.olympic.org/jesse-owens>. Jesse became a sporting legend for his achievements in Berlin still while facing racism. "Black Americana." Black Americana - Rare Newspapers.com . N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Jan. 2017. <http://www.rarenewspapers.com/list/black?page=4>. Jesse was in papers like the following:“110,000 See Owens Set World Record At Olympics.” Hitler, Adolf. Hitler's Secret Book . New York: Grove, 1962. Print. Hitler wrote multiple books. Owens, Jesse, and Paul G. Neimark. Jesse, a Spiritual Autobiography . Plainfield, NJ: Logos International, 1978. Print. “Jesse is a remarkable spiritual pilgrimage.” "Jesse Owens Gives Runners Medals at the ARCO Jesse Owens Games, 1970s." Ohio State University, n.d. Web. 03 Jan. 2017. <http://kb.osu.edu/ dspace/handle/1811/58109>. Jesse Owens gives Olympic-like medals to runners during the 1970 ARCO Jesse Owens Games. "Jesse Owens Olympic Gold Medal Auctioned for Record $1.4M." NY Daily News . The Associated Press, 09 Dec. 2013. Web. 09 Dec. 2016. 19<http://www. nydailynews.com/sports/more-sports/jesse-owens-olympic-gold-medal-auctioned-record-1-4m-article>. One of Jesse’s medals recently auctioned for 1.4 million dollars, the record price.

13

Jesse Owens Olympic Oak Trees Survive! Jesse Owens Olympic Oak Trees Survive! N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Jan. 2017. <http://www.posterxpress.com/Jesse/ other_articles.htm>. Jesse was featured in many newspapers. "Jesse Owens." The Lincoln Library of Sports Champions . Vol. 8. Cleveland, OH: Lincoln Library, 2007. 20-27. Print. Hitler funded a large amount of the Berlin Olympics because he expected to receive mounds of gold medals. "Jesse Owens | The Ohio State University." Jesse Owens | The Ohio State University . N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2016. <https://library.osu.edu/projects/ jesse-owens/story_ohiostate.html>. “for his unparalleled skill and ability…and his personification of sportsmanship ideals." Medal Tree . N.d. Jesse Owens Memorial Park, Oakville, Alabama. Jesse Owens Museum RSS . Web. 09 Jan. 2017. <http://jesseowensmemorialpark.com/ wordpress1/museum> Jesse Owens has a memorial park just for himself. "News." News | Jesse Owens . Luminary Group, Jan. 1988. Web. 25 Nov. 2016. <http://www.jesseowens.com/news/>. Jesse Owens stands on the podium. Olympic. "Jesse Owens Explains the Mind of a Sprinter." YouTube . YouTube, 21 Oct. 2016. Web. 25 Oct. 2016. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0r1QdoRbq Lk&feature=player_embedded>. Jesse Owens describes his life as a runner and the steps to get there. Owens Hemphill,Beverly Owens Prather,Marlene Owens Rankin, Gloria, Beverly Owens Prather, and Marlene Owens Rankin. "Dreams From Our Father, Jesse Owens."The Daily Beast . The Daily Beast Company, 24 Feb. 2016. Web. 12 Jan. 2017. <http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/02/25/dreams-from-our- father-jesse-owens.html>. Jesse’s daughters give us insight on having an Olympian father, the entire family still faced racism. Owens, Jesse, and Dick O'Connor. Track and Field . New York: Atheneum, 1976. Print. Jesse writes about the fundamentals of track and field events. Owens, Jesse, and Paul G. Neimark. Blackthink: My Life as Black Man and White Man . New York: Pocket, 1971. Print. Jesse wrote a book of his racial troubles. Schaap, Jeremy. Triumph: Jesse Owens & Hitler's Olympics . Rearsby, Leicester: WF Howes, 2008. Print. Jesse received ovations from all races at the Olympics. Owens, Jesse, and Paul G. Neimark. The Jesse Owens Story . New York: Putnam, 1970. Print. Jesse explains his entire life in a single book.

14

"Tell Him about His Father." Letters of Note . N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Dec. 2016. <http://www.lettersofnote.com/2016/08/tell-him-about-his-father.html>. Luz Long was an extraordinary friend of Jesse. "Track & Field Results for the 1936 Summer Olympics." Track & Field Results for the 1936 Summer Olympics . Databasesports, 2002. Web. 22 Nov. 2016. The US beat Germany in track during the 1936 Olympics. White, Walter. "National Association for the Advancement of Colored People." Library of Congress www.loc.gov/teachershttp://www.loc.gov/exhibits/naacp /the-great-depression.html (1935): 1-2. Web. 25 Oct. 2016. “I hope it was a mistake that your name, Jesse, was in the paper for being in the Olympics.” - Walter White

15

Secondary Sources Adler, David A. A Picture Book of Jesse Owens . New York: Holiday House, 1992. Jesse had a drive like no other. Many images of him are collected into a single book. Altman, Susan. Extraordinary African-Americans . New York: Children's, 2001. Print. Hitler expected his race to win more golds than all other races. "American Experience: Jesse Owens." PBS . PBS, n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2017. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/introduction/owens/>. Jesse’s entire life consisted of: family, education, track, and work. Bass, Amy. Not the Triumph but the Struggle: The 1968 Olympics and the Making of the Black Athlete . Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, 2002. There was a struggle before, and after, Jesse went to the Olympics. However, he always put on a brave face. Bell, By Danna. "An Olympian Effort: The Story of Jesse Owens in Library of Congress Primary Sources." Library of Congress Blogs . N.p., 27 July 2012. Web. 25 Oct. 2016. <http://blogs.loc.gov/teachers/2012/07/an-olympian-effort- the-story -of-jesse-owens-in-library-of-congress-primary-sources/?local=blog tea>. Hitler and Jesse’s feud may be smaller than it was made to be. Biography.com Editors. "Jesse Owens Biography." biography.com A&E Networks Television, 13 Feb. 2016. Web. 24 Jan. 2017. <http://www.biography.com/ people/jesse-owens-9431142#1936-olympic-games>. Jesse won all 42 events he competed in within 1935. "How Jesse Owens Impacted the Nation (Fall 2012) - Historpedia." Google Sites . N.p., 2012. Web. 27 Dec. 2016.<https://sites.google.com/a/umn.edu/ historpedia/home/specific-individuals/how-jesse-owens-impacted-the-nation-fall-2012>. Jesse’s athletic feats confronted racial discrimination. "Jesse Owens | 1936 Olympics." Jesse Owens | 1936 Olympics . N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2016. <https://library.osu.edu/projects/jesse-owens/story_olympics. html>. Jesse’s college gives insight on more than just his Olympian life.

16

"Jesse Owens Biography." Encyclopedia of World Biography . N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2017. http://www.notablebiographies.com/Ni-Pe/Owens-Jesse.html# ixzz4ZM1Q1q8y. Jesse received many awards after the Olympics. "Jesse Owens - Related Biography: Coach Charles Riley." JRank Articles . N.p., 2006. Web. 19 Dec. 2016. <http://sports.jrank.org/pages/3576/ Owens-Jesse-Related-Biography-Coach-Charles-Riley.html>. Charles Riley and Jesse Owens had a very special bond. Kendi, Ibram X., Renee D. Says, and Eric Floyd Says. "On the Racist Ideas Jesse Owens Could Not Outrun." AAIHS . N.p., 21 Feb. 2016. Web. 22 Dec. 2016. <http://www.aaihs.org/on-the-racist-ideas-jesse-owens-could-not-outrun/>. “unable to take a step without being begged for his autograph” - scholar W.E.B. Du Bois Knapp, Ron. "Jesse Owens." Top 10 American Men's Olympic Gold Medalists . Springfield, NJ, USA: Enslow, 2000. 38-41. Print. Jesse’s college years were tough and his coaches were tougher. Morrison, Mike. "Jesse Owens." Infoplease . Infoplease, n.d. Web. 25 Oct. 2016. <http://www.infoplease.com/spot/summer-olympics-jesse-owens.html>. Jesse’s long jump is around twenty six feet! "NAACP: A Century in the Fight for Freedom The Great Depression." The Great Depression - NAACP: A Century in the Fight for Freedom | Exhibitions - Library of Congress . N.p., n.d. Web. 07 Dec. 2016. Hitler stormed out after Jesse won multiple golds. Owens, By Jesse. "Quotes." Jesse Owens . Jesse Owens Trust, n.d. Web. 23 Oct. 2016. Owens really worked hard for what he achieved.

"Owens Wins 4th Gold Medal." history.com A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2016. <http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/owens-wins-4th- gold-medal>. “The Nazi government used sport as part of its drive to strengthen the Aryan race, and Non-Aryans... were systematically excluded from Nazi sponsored sports facilities and associations.” Rogers, Kevin. "Jesse Owens Sets 3 World Records in 45 Minutes at Ohio State." World History Project . N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2016. <https://worldhistoryproject.org/1935/5/25/jesse-owens-sets-3-world-records-in-45-minutes-at-ohio-state>. Jesse Owens broke 7 world records during his athletic career.

17

Saito, Mhari. "Jesse Owens' Legacy, And Hitler's Oak Trees." NPR . NPR, 27 July 2011. Web. 08 Mar. 2017. <http://www.npr.org/2011/07/27/138590488/ jesse-owens-legacy-and-hitlers-oak-trees>. Jesse planted a tree at his school and the other three are nowhere to be found. Shenkman, Rick. "Adolf Hitler, Jesse Owens and the Olympics Myth of 1936."History News Network . N.p., 08 July 2002. Web. 22 Dec. 2016. <http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/571> There are multiple varying views on Jesse’s and Hitler’s feud. Spring, Joe. "10 Things You Didn't Know About Jesse Owens and the 1936 Olympics." Outside Online . Outside Magazine, 2 Aug. 2012. Web. 11 Jan. 2017. <https://www.outsideonline.com/1902576/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-jesse-owens-and-1936-olympics>. Before the Big Ten Championships, Jesse slipped on stairs and injured his back. He still pushed through and won all four events.

18