Jesse Owens Research Paper
Garret Bachand
Dagmar Rossberg
English 1113
11/1/14
758
Jesse Owens Jesse Owens is considered one of the greatest Olympians to ever come into the sport. Owens brought a contribution to not only America, but the world as well. Owens has broken many boundaries and won many awards in his journey. He has had the title over himself "fastest man ever.”
Henry and Emma Owens gave birth, on September 12, 1913, to James Cleveland “Jesse” Owens. He was a son of a sharecropper and a grandson to a slave. Jesse was the 7th kid born from nine children in the family. The Owens family would move from Alabama where Jesse was born and to Cleveland, Ohio. Everyone in Cleveland called him J.C., which is short for James Cleveland. Jesse told his school …show more content…
teacher his nickname J.C. and she thought he said Jesse and this how the name “Jesse” was started and became very popular around the world.
Jesse basically gave the world a preview to what will happen in Berlin in 1936. In 1935, Jesse was at the Big Ten Conference Championship in Ann Arbor, Michigan and he set three world records and tied a fourth in the amount of time in forty-five minutes. Some experts come to believe that is the greatest accomplishment in sports history because of the amount of time.
Jesse’s athletic career started in Junior High School in Cleveland as he set many junior high records.
He started off by leaping in the air, clearing 6 feet on the high jump. This was before they changed the high jump where you could go over the bar with your back, which could possibly mean he could have leaped higher. The broad jump or long jump came next for Jesse he jumped 22 feet 11 ¾ inches, which very incredible for such a young boy. He won all major track events and the Ohio State Championship three consecutive times, which is remarkable. Jesse set many nationwide High School records like the 100 meter dash in 9.4 seconds and the 220 meter dash in 20.7 seconds. He also set his broad jump and high jump records as well. Since Jesse had a remarkable track career, it led to many colleges looking at him. Jesse chose Ohio State University and became buckeye. Even though Jesse did not get a scholarship, because Ohio State did not offer them a scholarship to track and field stars at the time. Jesse had to support his wife Ruth, so they could get through college. He was a restaurant server, elevator operator, worked at the library, he pumped gas and served a stint as a page in the Ohio statehouse. He worked all those jobs as well as juggling school and setting collegiate track records. This gave Jesse a big boost in confidence to enter the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. It was held when the Nazi’s were a big concern in Europe. Hitler was experimenting his theory of Aryan race to
dominate in the Olympics but it did not stop Jesse’s chances to win his events. He became first American track and field to win 4 gold medals in one Olympic Games. This great accomplishment stood until Carl Lewis won more than four in 1984. After the medals were presented Adolf Hitler didn’t shake Jesse’s hand, but instead gave him a wave. Through the Berlin arena the name “Jesse” was shouted over and over again because of what he had accomplished at the Olympics. Jesse did not only discredit what Hitler’s race theory was about, but just simply send a message that no man is the same.
Unlike today Jesse did not sign any kind of endorsement deal that would pay him millions for his great accomplishments. So Jesse still had to work many jobs to support his family. Jesse also found a job as a playgrounds keeper and this gave him satisfaction to him helping the youth. When Jesse visited the white house he was granted with the highest civilian honor that was presented by President Ford. Jesse Owens died on March 31, 1980 in Tucson, Arizona due to lung cancer. Not only was he just an athlete, but he was unofficial ambassador over different countries. He was spokesman for freedom. He is arguably the “fastest man ever.”
Work Cited
Thomas, Dwain. "American Experience: Jesse Owens." School Library Journal (2012): 41. Biography Reference Bank (H.W. Wilson). Web. 3 Nov. 2014.
Alexander, Victoria. "Adolph, Leni and Jesse." Films In Review 47. (1996): 76-77. Art Source. Web. 4 Nov. 2014.
George, Daniel R. "Handing Down Memories Of Jesse Owens." Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 59.10 (2011): 1960-1961. Academic Search Complete. Web. 4 Nov. 2014.
Biography Reference Bank Image Collection.
www.biography.com/people/jesse-owens
Dagmar Rossberg
English 1113
11/1/14
758
Jesse Owens Jesse Owens is considered one of the greatest Olympians to ever come into the sport. Owens brought a contribution to not only America, but the world as well. Owens has broken many boundaries and won many awards in his journey. He has had the title over himself "fastest man ever.”
Henry and Emma Owens gave birth, on September 12, 1913, to James Cleveland “Jesse” Owens. He was a son of a sharecropper and a grandson to a slave. Jesse was the 7th kid born from nine children in the family. The Owens family would move from Alabama where Jesse was born and to Cleveland, Ohio. Everyone in Cleveland called him J.C., which is short for James Cleveland. Jesse told his school …show more content…
teacher his nickname J.C. and she thought he said Jesse and this how the name “Jesse” was started and became very popular around the world.
Jesse basically gave the world a preview to what will happen in Berlin in 1936. In 1935, Jesse was at the Big Ten Conference Championship in Ann Arbor, Michigan and he set three world records and tied a fourth in the amount of time in forty-five minutes. Some experts come to believe that is the greatest accomplishment in sports history because of the amount of time.
Jesse’s athletic career started in Junior High School in Cleveland as he set many junior high records.
He started off by leaping in the air, clearing 6 feet on the high jump. This was before they changed the high jump where you could go over the bar with your back, which could possibly mean he could have leaped higher. The broad jump or long jump came next for Jesse he jumped 22 feet 11 ¾ inches, which very incredible for such a young boy. He won all major track events and the Ohio State Championship three consecutive times, which is remarkable. Jesse set many nationwide High School records like the 100 meter dash in 9.4 seconds and the 220 meter dash in 20.7 seconds. He also set his broad jump and high jump records as well. Since Jesse had a remarkable track career, it led to many colleges looking at him. Jesse chose Ohio State University and became buckeye. Even though Jesse did not get a scholarship, because Ohio State did not offer them a scholarship to track and field stars at the time. Jesse had to support his wife Ruth, so they could get through college. He was a restaurant server, elevator operator, worked at the library, he pumped gas and served a stint as a page in the Ohio statehouse. He worked all those jobs as well as juggling school and setting collegiate track records. This gave Jesse a big boost in confidence to enter the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. It was held when the Nazi’s were a big concern in Europe. Hitler was experimenting his theory of Aryan race to
dominate in the Olympics but it did not stop Jesse’s chances to win his events. He became first American track and field to win 4 gold medals in one Olympic Games. This great accomplishment stood until Carl Lewis won more than four in 1984. After the medals were presented Adolf Hitler didn’t shake Jesse’s hand, but instead gave him a wave. Through the Berlin arena the name “Jesse” was shouted over and over again because of what he had accomplished at the Olympics. Jesse did not only discredit what Hitler’s race theory was about, but just simply send a message that no man is the same.
Unlike today Jesse did not sign any kind of endorsement deal that would pay him millions for his great accomplishments. So Jesse still had to work many jobs to support his family. Jesse also found a job as a playgrounds keeper and this gave him satisfaction to him helping the youth. When Jesse visited the white house he was granted with the highest civilian honor that was presented by President Ford. Jesse Owens died on March 31, 1980 in Tucson, Arizona due to lung cancer. Not only was he just an athlete, but he was unofficial ambassador over different countries. He was spokesman for freedom. He is arguably the “fastest man ever.”
Work Cited
Thomas, Dwain. "American Experience: Jesse Owens." School Library Journal (2012): 41. Biography Reference Bank (H.W. Wilson). Web. 3 Nov. 2014.
Alexander, Victoria. "Adolph, Leni and Jesse." Films In Review 47. (1996): 76-77. Art Source. Web. 4 Nov. 2014.
George, Daniel R. "Handing Down Memories Of Jesse Owens." Journal Of The American Geriatrics Society 59.10 (2011): 1960-1961. Academic Search Complete. Web. 4 Nov. 2014.
Biography Reference Bank Image Collection.
www.biography.com/people/jesse-owens