Jesse owens biography

Jesse Owens was a track and field star. His most famous moment came in the 1936 Olympics when he won four gold medals – much to the annoyance of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party who hoped the Olympics would be a showcase for Aryan supremacy.

In his later life, Jesse Owens became a goodwill ambassador for America and athletics.

“The battles that count aren’t the ones for gold medals. The struggles within yourself — the invisible, inevitable battles inside all of us — that’s where it’s at.”

– Jesse Owens (from autobiography)

 

Short bio – Jesse Owens

Jesse Owens was born in Alabama and, aged 9, the family moved to the Granville section of Cleveland.

His early life was marked by poverty, and he was forced to take many menial jobs such as delivering goods and working in a shoe repair shops. However, he was able to develop his passion for running and athletics; from an early age, he was identified as having great potential talent.