The 75th Anniversary of Jesse Owens’ Four Olympic Gold Medals

Jesse Owens

Julia Long, Marlene Dortch

Having pushed himself to greater heights than any athlete had done before at a time when his country did not entirely accept him for the color of his skin, Jesse Owens has been considered one of the greatest track and field Olympians of all time.  During the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Owens competed in the 100-meters sprint, the 200-meter sprint, the long jump and the 400-meter relay, setting one world record and two Olympic records. August 2011 marks the 75^th anniversary of his achievement and will be remembered in Berlin and the United States as a landmark in Olympic and national history.

Video: see Jesse Owens win the 100m

Adolf Hitler planned to use the Berlin 1936 Olympics to showcase "Aryan racial superiority" through the abilities of German athletes.  Owens, however, defeated the stereotypes of the time by earning four gold medals during a single Olympics.  Owens also became friends and traded advice with German long-jumper Luz Long, forming a family bond that has lasted for generations.

On August 21, 2009, Marlene Dortch, Owens' granddaughter, attended the official opening of the photo exhibition "Jesse Owens - A Sports Hero" at the Berlin Sports Museum and presented the official 2009 U.S.A. track and field jersey to the museum.  She and Julia Long, granddaughter of Luz Long, who was Owens' competitor and friend during the 1936 Berlin Olympics, presented their grandfathers' long jump medals at the Berlin Olympic Stadium 73 years to the day after Owens won the event in Germany.  As a tribute to Jesse Owens, the U.S. team wore the initials "JO" on their jerseys during the 2009 International Amateur Athletic Federation World Championships in Berlin.