How Jesse Owens defied Adolf Hitler at the 1936 Olympics
Jesse Owens got worldwide attention at the Berlin Olympics in 1936. Learn how this athlete performed on the world stage under the eye of dictator Adolf Hitler.
Image: Jesse Owens (C) stands on top of the podium after winning gold in the long jump at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. German Luz Long (R) won the silver medal. | Hi-Story/ Alamy Stock Photo
Three years before Germany invaded Poland and the start of World War II, Berlin hosted the 1936 Olympic Games. It was a time rife with tensions and when the games were used to make many political statements.
It became even more notable when African American athlete Jesse Owens won four gold medals across various track and field events. Read on for the complete story of Jesse Owens becoming a track and field star while infuriating dictator Adolf Hitler.
The 1936 Summer Olympic Games
Held in Berlin from 1st August to 16th August, the 1936 Summer Olympics were steeped in controversy. This was mostly because of the Nazi regime’s increasing aggression and use of propaganda to promote their ideology of racial superiority.
Leader of the Nazi party and then Chancellor of Germany Adolf Hitler saw the Olympics as the perfect place to showcase the superiority of the German people in athletics. The Nazis proposed that the German ‘Aryan’ race was superior to all others both physically and mentally.
This meant that the Nazi regime made massive investments to host the games – creating new sports facilities including the Olympiastadion in Berlin.
It was the first Olympics to be broadcast live on TV, meaning Nazi flags adorning the streets and Olympic venues were beamed into homes around the world.
Jesse Owens
Jesse Owens was born in 1913 in Oakville, Alabama. At a young age, he moved to Cleveland with his family and eventually went on to represent Ohio State University in track and field events.
In 1935, he set three world records in 45 minutes during the Big Ten Track Meet event, which is still considered one of the most impressive achievements in athletic history.
Owens was known for his speciality in both sprinting and the long jump. His talent later led him to be known as one of the most important sportsmen in history – with numerous accolades and impressive performances.
Owens was selected for the 1936 US Olympic team, an announcement that was met with excitement and worry. Jesse and the team were both aware of the extreme racial prejudice that he would face in Nazi Germany as an African American. Despite these challenges, Owens remained determined to prove himself on the world stage.
Owens at the 1936 Olympic Games
Adolf Hitler initially refused to shake hands with Jesse Owens, a slight that would create one of the most significant moments in Olympic history. Owens focused on his performance and awaited his time to shine in the spotlight.
Owens competed in four events: the 100 metres, the 200 metres, the long jump, and the 4x100 metre relay. He won a gold medal in each, breaking or tying world records in the process.
His success in the long jump event was particularly notable, as he faced off against a talented German athlete, the aptly named Luz Long. Although fierce competitors, the pair had a strong friendship and great respect for one another. Long even embraced Owens in the sandpit after the latter secured the gold medal with a world record jump – a move that angered high-ranking members of the Nazi Party.
Owens’ success was a huge blow to the ideology of the Nazi Party. The sight of an African American athlete winning so many medals cut through Nazi propaganda around the idea of Aryan supremacy. Owens went on to become a worldwide symbol of determination and athletic excellence, with many people across the world celebrating his victory.
Aftermath
Jesse Owens’ performance at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin is widely regarded as one of the most iconic moments in sporting history. Not only was he able to put on an incredible performance, but it was also a powerful statement against Nazi ideology. Owens showed that athletic achievements have nothing to do with racial superiority, cutting through Nazi ideas of Aryan superiority.
In the years before World War II, Owens’ victory served as a reflection of what the world would come to face in its struggle against fascism. The Berlin Olympics were supposed to be a showcase of Nazi power, but Owens and many other athletes undermined Hitler’s ideology.
In the decades that followed, Owens received many accolades and honours. His story has been the subject of numerous books and films. His legacy continues to inspire athletes and all those who fight for equality across the world.
