Jesse Owens

American track and field athlete

Born: September 12, 1913  ·  Died: March 31, 1980

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Jesse Owens
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Who was Jesse Owens?

James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens (September 12, 1913 – March 31, 1980) was an American track and field athlete. Owens excelled in short sprints and the long jump and was lauded in his lifetime as "perhaps the greatest and most famous athlete in track and field history". Earlier he won four events, set five world records, and tied another—all in less than an hour, at the 1935 Big Ten Championships in Ann Arbor, Michigan, a feat that has never been equaled and was called "the greatest 45 minutes ever in sport". He won four NCAA titles in both 1935 and 1936, bringing his total to eight—an unparalleled achievement still unmatched. He achieved international fame at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, by winning four gold medals: 100 meters, long jump, 200 meters, and 4 × 100-meter relay.

Owens competing in the long jump at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin
Owens competing in the long jump at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin
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Historical significance

He made history at the 1936 Olympic Games by winning four gold medals, setting individual Olympic records in each event, plus another as a member of the 400-meter relay. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest athletes in track and field history. James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens was an American track and field athlete who made history at the 1936 Olympic Games by winning four gold medals, setting individual Olympic records in each event, plus another as a member of the 400-meter relay.

2015 photograph of the U.S. track team house at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Village
2015 photograph of the U.S. track team house at the 1936 Berlin Olympic Village
Selected movies: Jesse Owens Full IMDb filmography
Jesse Owens 2012 · View on IMDb Back to Berlin Film · View on IMDb
Selected exact acting credits from Wikidata. Title links open on IMDb; ratings, reviews, images, and descriptions are not imported.
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Wikipedia source
Cite this page
MLA

“Jesse Owens.” thisDay, thisday.info/people/jesse-owens/. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

APA

Jesse Owens. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 26, 2026, from https://thisday.info/people/jesse-owens/

Chicago

“Jesse Owens.” thisDay. Accessed October 26, 2026. https://thisday.info/people/jesse-owens/.

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