FACTS ABOUT JESSE OWENS

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On September 12th, 1913 in Oakville, Alabama ‘“ a legend was born. The seventh child to Henri and Emma Owens, James Cleveland Owens (a.k.a. ‘œJesse’ Owens) would grow up to become one of the most amazing and inspirational Olympians in history. His rise to fame began in his early high school years when he broke numerous records and started to become well known across college campuses looking to recruit. But his real breakthrough of fame came when he entered the 1936 Olympics. He was known at the time as the fastest man alive. For more information on Jesse Owens, check out these cool facts.

Fact One: Jesse Owens was and is today famous for his unbelievablenumber of record breakings under his belt. In high school, he set the broad jump record by leaping 22 feet and 11¾ inches over, only to extend that record by two more feet his senior year. Also in his senior year of high school, he brokethe world high school record for the 100 yard dash, but tied the world record in the same race at 9.4 seconds.In the 200 yard dash at the same meet, he set a new world high school record by running it at 20.7 seconds. When he entered the Big Ten Championships in 1935, he created three new world records and tied a fourth all in the same day. According the Jesse Owens website, he became the first official American Olympian to ‘œwin four gold medals in a single Olympiad’.

Fact Two: In the 1936 Olympics, Owens successfully disapproved Hitler’s prejudice overviews on those who weren’t of the Aryan race, by winning over all his other competitors. Many experts say that this was remarkable for the segregated times because his success proved to the world that the quality of a man is based on his ability, not on his identity.

Fact Three: Quite notably, after Owens left the 1936 Olympics, he immersed himself in a bunch of charity projects, particularly for the youth. He also became the director of the Chicago Boys’ Club.

Fact Four: He officially received his famous nickname from his schoolteacher when he was nine years old and just starting school in Cleveland, Ohio. Because his name was James Cleveland, people often called him ‘˜J.C.’ for short, and as a result, his teacher thought she had heard ‘œJesse’ instead. Thus, he became Jesse Owens and later known in college at Ohio State University as the Buckeye Bullet.  

Fact Five: During college, to support him and his wife Ruth, Owens worked a plethora of jobs. According to the Jesse Owens Official Website, he operated elevators in the evenings, waited on people at a restaurant, pumped gas, worked in the library stacks and was a page in the Ohio State House. What was so brilliant was how he managed to go to school, work all these jobs and practice for meets at the same time.

Fact Six: Many athletes today and in the times of Jesse’s golden days consider him to be the greatest athlete in history, not just because of his tremendous accomplishments but because of what those accomplishments represented. In the times of segregation and prejudice, Owens’ performance gave hope to those of lesser identity and showed those of higher identities that it’s not a person’s racial or religious background that determines their greatness. It is their individual excellence, personality and choices.  

Fact Seven: Owens has won numerous awards, and not just with his Olympic and meet medals. Racing awards aside, Owens also received two national awards: the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1976, and Congressional Gold Medal in 1990 by U.S. Presidents Gerald R. Ford and George H.W. Bush respectively. The latter was awarded in his honor ten years after his death.

Fact Eight: On March 31st, 1980, at the age of67, Owens died of problems that had previously resulted from lung cancer.

Fact Nine: Owens’ three daughters ‘“ Gloria, Marlene and Beverly ‘“ still aid today in the productivity of the Jesse Owens Foundation ‘“ a foundation meant for helping give hope to the talented youth.

Fact Ten: Back in his post-Olympic days, Jesse was a consultant for a few corporations, such as Atlantic Richfield, Ford and the United States Olympic Committee.

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