Jesse Owens

Track and field athlete, Olympic gold medalist for the 100m dash

What is Jesse Owens known for?

Jesse Owens, born James Cleveland Owens on September 12, 1913 in Oakville, Alabama, was an amazing track and field athlete who went on to become a four-time Olympic gold medalist. He is distinguished alumni of East Technical High School in Cleveland, Ohio.

Owens rose to international fame at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany, where he won gold in the 100 meters, 200 meters, 4x100 meter relay, and long jump events. This accomplishment was an astounding statement at that time, breaking Hitler's myth of Aryan supremacy.

During his athletic career, he set three world records and tied another in less than an hour at the 1935 Big Ten track meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a feat that has never been equalled. His specialties were sprints and long jumps. Some of his personal bests include 6.1 seconds in the 60 yard dash, 10.2 seconds in the 100 meter dash, and 20.3 seconds in the 220 yard dash.

Off the field, Owens was known for his resilience and determination. The youngest of ten children, Owens was born to a sharecropper and the grandson of a slave. At the age of nine, his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio as part of the Great Migration for better opportunities. Despite the hurdles of poverty and discrimination, he found success on the track and the field.

Owens married his high school sweetheart, Minnie Ruth Solomon in 1935, and they remained together until his death in 1980. They had three daughters together: Gloria, Marlene, and Beverly. His life and exceptional athleticism have been celebrated through multiple awards and recognitions. The Jesse Owens Award, USA Track and Field's highest accolade, is named in his honor. In 1999, he was on the six-man short-list for the BBC's Sports Personality of the Century.

Learn more about Owens' life and career from the Jesse Owens Foundation and the Olympic.org.