JESSE OWENS LEGACY

The Olympic team immediately boarded a train for Berlin. As they approached the city they could see the swastikas hanging from flagpoles, banners and military uniforms. The swastikas also hung from all the halls and stadiums of the Olympic Games. 

Nazism was raging in Europe and Hitler was making a statement about the power of the Third Reich that was impossible to ignore. The Olympic Games were his way of showcasing his “peaceful” regime. 

As an African American athlete Owens was an oddity. His very presence at the games challenged Hitler’s notion of the superiority of the Aryan master race. 

In fact, Hitler criticized the U.S. for sending Owens. 

Aug. 1 was the opening day of the games. About 110,000 spectators lined the stadium. The airship Hindenburg flew above the crowd. The athletes paraded around the track. The Olympic flame was lit for the very first time. A flock of doves was released. Hitler gave the opening speech. There was a larger-than-life feel to the whole thing. 

On Aug. 3, Owens won a gold medal in the 100-meter sprint. His time of 10.3 seconds tied the world record in the event. On Aug. 4, Owens took gold again in the long jump with an Olympic record jump of 26’ 5¼”. On Aug. 5, he captured the 200-meter sprint in 20.7 seconds, another Olympic record. On Aug. 9, Owens entered the 400 meter relay (first leg) in 39.8 seconds, an Olympic and world record and a fourth gold medal. 

When all was said and done the most popular athlete in the games turned out to be Afro American sprinter and jumper Jesse Owens. All together eighteen Black athletes represented the United States in the games. 

Owens’s gold medals poked holes in Hitler’s notion of a master race and the fuehrer was reportedly miffed. No athlete would equal his performance until 1984 when Carl Lewis won four gold medals in the 1984 summer games. 

“For a time, at least, I was the most famous person in the entire world,” Owens said. 

During the games the head of the International Olympic Committee, Henri de Baillet-Latour sent a message to Hitler saying he must congratulate all the winners no matter their race or color. From then on, Hitler was said to have congratulated no one. 

"The Americans should be ashamed of themselves, letting Negroes win their medals for them. I shall not shake hands with this Negro.......do you really think that I will allow myself to be photographed shaking hands with a Negro?" That’s what Nazi youth leader Balder von Shirach claimed Hitler said after Owens 100-meter victory. 

“Although I wasn't invited to shake hands with Hitler, I wasn't invited to the White House to shake hands with the President either,” Owens replied. 

On Aug. 1, a collection of Jesse Owens memorabilia related to the 1936 Berlin Olympics went on the block at Mastro Auctions 2nd Annual Sports Memorabilia Auction in Chicago.