February is Black History Month: Jesse Owens

As one of the great Olympians and a champion for the rights of blacks in North America, Jesse Owens was a renowned track and field athlete who set many records in the NCAA, as well as a long jump World record that stood for 25 years.

Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin

One of the more controversial moments in his lifetime was when Owens competed at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, where much was made of the Nazi hosted event and Hitler, with his Aryan views,. The U.S. press made much of this and demonized Hitler, particularly after Owens won 4 Gold medals.

Not that Hitler wasn't a true demon and the press wasn't justified but it is interesting to note that at the time, Owens travelled throughout Europe with all the white athletes, stayed at the same hotels and ate in the same restaurants. He won the Gold medal in the long jump and attributed his success to some technical tips given to him by his German opponent whom he beat. Despite what the press said about Hitler 'snubbing' Owens, he even claimed himself to have been congratulated by Hitler and had his hand shaken. He took the high ground and said he thought it in bad taste to criticize the 'man of the hour' in another country.

Gold medalist at the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany

Perhaps Owens was thinking about how hypocritical the press was being considering the fact that in many parts of the U.S.,, blacks still had to stay in separate hotels from whites, including Owens himself during his Ohio Sate University days on the track and field team. In fact, he couldn't even eat with the team and had to get 'take out'.

The Olympics were a great propaganda opportunity for both Germany and the U.S. but perhaps there should have been a little more emphasis put on the U.S. 'cleaning up their own back yard'. It's really ironic to think that, after a ticker tape parade in New York in his honour, Owens himself had to ride in the freight elevator to get to a reception at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Many years later he stated that Hitler hadn't snubbed him but his own leader, President Roosevelt, did when he never invited Owens to the White House or send him a congratulatory telegram, as was the custom.

Owens achieved so much and broke down many barriers yet still had a difficult time even earning a living after his successes. Owens once said " I have four gold medals, but you can't eat four gold medals. There was no television, no big advertising, no endorsements then. Not for a black man, anyway",  He was stripped of his amateur status by U.S. Olympic officials after trying to earn some money from commercial offers. Unable to compete, the lack of public exposure subsequently took away those opportunities and he never capitalized on his athletic achievements.

After stints running a dry cleaning business, working as a gas station attendant and eventually filing for bankruptcy, he was given a job by the government as a Goodwill Ambassador, making speaking engagements as he traveled the world.

Sadly, this high performance athlete had become a pack a day smoker and subsequently died of lung cancer at the age of 66.

Owens long jump World Record stood for 25 years, a rare feat in track and field