Europe, coming out of a terrible First World War which ended in 1919, the 1930s were the start of an even more turbulent time. The 30s saw the rise of dictatorship, fascism and Nazism across many European countries – especially of Germany and Italy. Adolf Hitler had emerged as the dictator of Germany and was keen on establishing both German and Aryan supremacy across Europe.
Hitler believed that the Aryans had the purest blood and it was their duty to rule the world. Germany under Hitler followed a policy of racial discrimination and went about persecuting Jews.
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As a result, many of the Jews immigrated to the United States and settled there forever – including many famous scientists and sportspersons.
The Emergence of Jesse Owens
Around the same time a new star – a black athlete was taking the US track & field world by storm – His name was Jesse Owens. James Cleveland Owens was the youngest child born to Henry Cleveland Owens and Mary Emma Fitzgerald on September 12, 1913 in Oakville, Alabama.
J.C., as he was called, was nine years old when the family decided to move to Cleveland, Ohio for better opportunities. Alabama, on the southern side of the United States, was discriminating against the blacks.
How the name Jesse came to being is itself an interesting story. When asked his name, James’ teacher, because of his strong southern accent, thought that he said "Jesse" as against J.C. The name stuck, and he was known as Jesse Owens for the rest of his life. Jesse’s family was very poor, hence he had to work in the evenings to earn some money and support his family.
A track and field coach Riley saw Jesse running andy was so impressed with young Jesse’s prowess that he offered to coach him in the mornings before school, so that Jesse could continue working in the evening.
This was the beginning of Jesse’s athletic career began.
After 2 to 3 years of intense coaching, Jesse made his mark in the track & field arena by setting 3 massive world records and equaling one. He tied the world record for the 100-yard dash (9.4 seconds) and set world records in the long jump (26 feet 8 1⁄4 in or 8.13 m, a world record that would last 25 years), 220-yard (201.2 m) sprint (20.3 seconds) and 220 yard (201.2m) low hurdles (22.6 seconds, becoming the first to break 23 seconds) in 1935.
This set up the perfect contest – Jesse Owens vs. Adolf Hitler. The 1936 Berlin Olympics or the Nazi Olympics, as it was called, was the perfect opportunity for Hitler to showcase his theory of Aryan supremacy. Hitler wanted to use the Olympics to show to the world that Aryans were a superior race in every arena and their dominance extended even in sport – especially track & field.
The Racist German Authority
Continuing with its policy of racial discrimination, the German sports authority, while selecting its squad, excluded all Jews from the German Olympic team, as the Jews were not considered to be of Aryan descent.
This very act of exclusion was a violation of the Olympic code of equality and fair play and this racist attitude brought international calls for a boycott of the Berlin games.
However, after a lot of persuasion, 49 countries agreed to participate in the Berlin Games, the highest participation in any Olympics then. The United States athletics team fielded the largest contingent of athletes participating (312). Amongst these were - 5 Jews and 19 African-Americans – including Jesse (J.C.) Owens.
Jesse Owens was participating in 4 events – 100 meters, 200 meters, 4x100 meter relay & long jump and he was favoured to win.
In the most popular athletics event - the 100m dash, the lineup included Jesse Owens, Ralph Metcalfe, Tinus Osendarp, Frank Wykoff, Erich Borchmeyer and Lennart Strandberg. Jesse Owens got a lot of American support but the Nazis were rooting for their local hero - Erich Borchmeyer.
History created
As the athletes got into position and took off at the sound of the gun, Ralph Metcalfe took the initial lead but Jesse Owens with astonishing speed overtook the entire field and won the Olympic gold medal with world record time of 10.3 seconds.
He continued with his winning spree and won the 200m dash, 4 x 100m relay and the long jump event, where set a world record by jumping 7.64 meters. It was the first time that a black athlete had won an Olympic medal and it was the first time anyone had won four gold medals in track & field events – a record that was broken till 1984.
Hitler was angry with the turn of events and did not acknowledge this sterling display of athleticism and, by some accounts, refused to even shake Owens’ hand. However, in a gesture that displayed great sportsmanship, Jesse was congratulated by Luz Long – the long-jumper from Germany – who later on became a good friend for many years to come.
The world, especially Europe, could see that Jesse Owens had proven Hitler wrong and that all people are equal. It proved once and for all that only individuals and the paths they choose matter and, that neither race nor origin has any bearing whatsoever to the achievements of people.
However, back in the United States, recognition was difficult to come, as racial discrimination against the blacks got the better of many white people. Franklin D Roosevelt – then US president, neither called Jesse Owens to the White House nor sent him a telegram to acknowledge his achievements.
However, Jesse Owens’ achievements successfully stoked the pride of many young black Americans. They fought for equal rights in their nation, culminating in the civil rights movement of Martin Luther King - that finally put an end to racial discrimination in the US by the 1950s.
Blacks dominate
Today, sports has witnessed achievements of people of all races & origins - Carl Lewis the only person to equal Jesse Owens’ record, Usain Bolt - the 100m and 200m record-holder – are both black athletes; the Kalenjin Men from Kenya are regarded as the greatest marathoners; Mark Spitz – the great American swimmer who won 7 golds in the Munich Olympics of 1972 was a Jew and the list can go on and on.
But to me, Jesse Owens achievements in the track & field events of 1936 Berlin Olympics is unparalleled not only for his sheer sporting achievements, but also for the having catalysed events that put an end to the racial discrimination across two continents – both US & Europe.
