Jesse Owens Essay, Research Paper

“I always loved running…it was something you could do by yourself, and

under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you

wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just

on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs.”

-Jesse Owens

Jesse Owens, a black man who contributation to the world will be know to

everyone. A man who has broken all the boundaries. A man who has won many names and

awards. A man of many talents. A man with a title fastest man ever . A MAN

Jesse Owens, one of the eight children in his family, one of the best track and field

athletes of all time. He was born 1913, on a farm in the city of Danville Alabama, under

his real name, James Cleveland Owens. He went to Fairmount Junior High School. Then

he

went on to high school where he was a track athlete and there his high points were the

running broad jump (long jump), the one-hundred meter dash and the two-hundred meter

dash. After graduating from high school he attended Ohio State University (OSU).

Charles Riley taught him after he first saw him in junior high. He was a excellent

track runner in high school, one of the best in the world. Like mentioned above, he was

excellent in the broad jump, the one-hundred meter dash, and the two-hundred meter dash.

He loved running when he was young, he said …it would always get me where I was

going… He would always run. He then went on to attend Ohio State University and there

he set the new worlds record for the broad jump at the length of 26 feet and one forth

inch. Going on to the next year he set another worlds record for the one-hundred meter

dash at the time of 10.2 seconds. He then was so good he went on to the 1936 Olympics

as

a member of the U S Olympic team, the games were held in Berlin, Germany where blacks

were not accepted as well as whites and because of that Reichfuekrer Adolf Hitler did not

acknowledge the achievements that he did perform, despite his athletic ability. He won

four

Olympic gold medals in the 200 and 100 meter dash, the broad jump, and also the 400

meter relay with the other four people that ran with him. He was one of the four

Americans

who have one three or more gold medals in one of the games. The Chicago Defender

wrote an article which came from Berlin which reads: Jesse Owens is the god of the

sports fans here. He has effectively demonstrated his superiority in winning the finals in the

100 meter event which he equaled the worlds record and by blasting the Olympic mark

of Eddie Tollan, another race star, set back in 1932 over the 200-meter route. He was the

first Negro to hold such position on any Olympic team at this time.

Jesse Owens was proud of his race and wasn t afraid to show it to anyone. He ran

for his race in all the Olympic games he attended. He gave hope to all the blacks when he

did what he did and they had more reason to be treated like the whites in the world. Alot

of African Americans look up to him as a black man for all he did for the black race. He

showed the world that the blacks are the same as everyone else and that we all have the

same blood.

Jesse Owens went on after his career and attended many foundations and programs

to show that he cares for who he is. He eventually died at the age of 77 in 1980 and he

finished off with many awards from his track seasons. He will be looked up to and

respected by all and will never be forgotten.

I think Jesse Owens is a great role model for all ages and he should be looked up

to. He stood up for what he believed and had respect for who he was. I look up to him

because I think that the racism in the world has been reduced because of people like him.

I think he has made a great contribution to everyone.

“When I came back, after all those stories about Hitler and his snub, I

came back to my native country, and I could not ride in the front of the

bus. I had to go to the back door. I couldn’t live where I wanted. Now

what’s the difference?”

-Jesse Owens