By Dixie Norwood
MSNHA graduate assistant
Did you know that an Olympic winner was born here in northwest Alabama?
That future Olympic athlete and winner, named Jesse Owens, was born Sept. 12, 1913, in Oakville, to Henry and Emma Owens. As a small child, Jesse suffered from bronchial issues that caused him to be sick for much of his childhood. Still, as a son of sharecroppers, Jesse had to help out with the family work. By age 7, it is said, Jesse was baling 100 pounds of cotton per day to help his family.
In 1921, Jesse and his family moved to Cleveland, Ohio. Education in Ohio was completely different than in Alabama. There were more opportunities in Ohio that Alabama just would not have for some time.
Even with his childhood sickness, Jesse found one thing he enjoyed: running. At East Technical High School, he set the record for the 100- and 200-yard dashes as well as the long jump. He became a nationally recognized sprinter. His accomplishments did not stop there. In 1935, Owens tied a world record in the 100-yard dash—and set a long jump record of 26-8 ¼ that would stand for 25 years. In several championships, including a few Olympic trials, Owens competed in 42 events, winning them all.
In the 1936 Olympics, Germany was favored in all categories, hinting at white dominance. However, Owens and six other African Americans won gold for the United States. Owens made Olympic history by winning four gold medals and shattering two records.
Racism prevented Owens–and other African Americans–from being credited for his accomplishments. It would take 40 years after his historic Olympic wins before he was properly recognized. President Gerald Ford awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Owens died four years later at age 67, in Tucson, Arizona, from lung cancer. In 2016, the movie “Race” depicted his life as a talented African-American sprinter.
For more information, visit https://www.olympic.org/jesse-owens, https://www.biography.com/athlete/jesse-owens, or http://www.jesseowens.com
