The Legacy and Controvery of Jesse Owens

Jesse Owens was an African American track and field athlete who became a symbol of both triumph and controversy based on his performance at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He was born James Cleveland Owens on September 12, 1913, growing up in a poor sharecropping family in Alabama. He was the youngest of ten children. The family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, when he was nine years old, to seek better opportunities. It was later given the nickname "Jesse" when a teacher misunderstood his initials, "J.C." He showed early promise in athletics during his high school years in Cleveland, setting national records in track and field. He later attended Ohio State University, where he became known as the "Buckeye Bullet" for his speed. In 1935, Owens set three world records and tied a fourth in just 45 minutes at the Big Ten track meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan. This is often considered one of the greatest athletic feats in history. At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Owens won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin—100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and 4x100 meter relay. This made him the first American track and field athlete to win four gold medals in a single Olympic Games. The victories were significant because they directly challenged Adolf Hitler's propaganda that aimed to demonstrate Aryan superiority. Owens' success undermined this Nazi ideology of racial supremacy on a world stage. These Olympics were held under Adolf Hitler's regime, which promoted the idea of Aryan racial superiority and Owens' success was a direct challenge to this ideology, demonstrating the absurdity of racial superiority theories. There is a disputed story that Hitler refused to shake Owens' hand after his victories, which was seen as a snub and further highlighted the tension between Nazi propaganda and Owens' achievements.

Despite his global fame following the Berlin Olympics, Owens faced significant racism in the United States. He returned to a country that still practiced segregation, and he was not given the same hero's welcome as white athletes received. Owens had to enter his own celebration banquet through a back door, highlighting the ongoing racial discrimination in America at that time. After the Olympics, Owens struggled to find work due to the racial discrimination which was a stark contrast to the adulation he received during the games. He was forced to take on various odd jobs, including racing against horses, to make a living. Owens' victories were used by different groups for their own purposes. In the USA, his success was touted as evidence of the superiority of democracy over fascism, even though Owens himself was denied many basic rights at home. The conflicting narratives surrounding his achievements made him a controversial and conflicted figure. He was also controversial because he criticized the USA government, particularly for its treatment of African Americans at that time. He was not outspoken during his competitive years, which led some to criticize him for not using his platform to challenge racial injustices more vocally. However, in later years, Owens did speak out against racial discrimination. The legacy that Jesse Owns left is complex because his sporting achievements were set against a backdrop of deep racial and political tensions and his success at the Berlin Olympics was a powerful symbol of resistance against racist ideologies, but it also exposed the contradictions and injustices within his own country.

Craig Payne is a University lecturer, runner, cynic, researcher, skeptic, forum admin, woo basher, clinician, rabble-rouser, blogger and a dad.