How Did Jesse Owens Impact Society
Katie Schickling
Sports in Society
Assignment 2
26 September 2013
Jesse Owens
Jesse Owens was of the most influential African-American athletes that grew up in discrimination. His accomplishments helped move people towards acceptance and integration. His athletic achievements were elite and he was among one of the top athletes in America at this time. His courage, along with his accomplishments, had a major impact on society and helped ease issues that were occurring at this time.
Jesse Owens was born in Oakville, Alabama on September 12, 1913. Adults saw potential in Jesse Owens when he was in elementary school and would race other kids. Owens then continued to attend high school in Cleveland, Ohio at East Technical High School where he was a track star. Here he set the record for the 100-meter dash with a time of 9.4 seconds. He continued breaking records while he attended Ohio State University. In the 1935 Big Ten Championships, Jesse tied his 100-meter record and …show more content…
He had to live in an all-black dormitory off campus despite the fact that he was the school’s major track star. He was not an acceptance to any racial segregation going on at this time despite his accomplishments. Even though he was one of, if not the best track athlete in the world, he was not able to receive a scholarship. (Neimark. 1979)
Jesse Owens walked into a hostile environment coming into the 1936 Olympic Games which was held in Berlin, Germany. At the time, Adolf Hitler was the leader in Germany and the Nazi movement. Hitler tried to use the Olympic games to prove that the German race was superior to all other ethnicities. Jesse proved the world wrong by winning four gold medals and breaking three world records, which was an Olympic record that stood until 1984. After winning the gold medals, he was able to stay in the same hotel room as the white people and was a major start to the Civil Rights Movement. (Neimark.
Sports in Society
Assignment 2
26 September 2013
Jesse Owens
Jesse Owens was of the most influential African-American athletes that grew up in discrimination. His accomplishments helped move people towards acceptance and integration. His athletic achievements were elite and he was among one of the top athletes in America at this time. His courage, along with his accomplishments, had a major impact on society and helped ease issues that were occurring at this time.
Jesse Owens was born in Oakville, Alabama on September 12, 1913. Adults saw potential in Jesse Owens when he was in elementary school and would race other kids. Owens then continued to attend high school in Cleveland, Ohio at East Technical High School where he was a track star. Here he set the record for the 100-meter dash with a time of 9.4 seconds. He continued breaking records while he attended Ohio State University. In the 1935 Big Ten Championships, Jesse tied his 100-meter record and …show more content…
He had to live in an all-black dormitory off campus despite the fact that he was the school’s major track star. He was not an acceptance to any racial segregation going on at this time despite his accomplishments. Even though he was one of, if not the best track athlete in the world, he was not able to receive a scholarship. (Neimark. 1979)
Jesse Owens walked into a hostile environment coming into the 1936 Olympic Games which was held in Berlin, Germany. At the time, Adolf Hitler was the leader in Germany and the Nazi movement. Hitler tried to use the Olympic games to prove that the German race was superior to all other ethnicities. Jesse proved the world wrong by winning four gold medals and breaking three world records, which was an Olympic record that stood until 1984. After winning the gold medals, he was able to stay in the same hotel room as the white people and was a major start to the Civil Rights Movement. (Neimark.