Posted on August 9, 2021
This is an update of my post published on August 9, 2010:
On this day in 1936, American Jesse Owens won a gold medal in 400-meter relay in the Olympic Games. This fourth gold joined three gold medals for individual performances in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, and long jump.
These Olympics were being held in Hitler's Germany, shortly before World War II, and many people think that Owens and other Black athletes embarrassed Hitler by proving wrong his idea about the “Aryan” or “white race” being superior to all others. Hitler certainly hoped that Germany would dominate the medals.
The first day of the competition, Hitler only acknowledged German winners, shaking their hands and then leaving the stadium. The Olympics committee officials insisted that he had to greet every medalist—or none at all. Hitler chose the latter, and the skipped all medal presentations so he wouldn't have to shake hands with or otherwise acknowledge medalists like Owens.
Privately, Hitler was reported to have shrugged off Owens' successes by saying that he was “primitive” but stronger than “civilized whites.” Hitler went on to say that Black athletes should be banned from the Olympics.
But the German people didn't snub Jesse Owens. He was greeted by enthusiastic and cheering crowds, asked for his autograph, and put up in the same hotels as the white athletes.
Sadly, Owens felt his treatment at home in the U.S. was worse than that in Nazi Germany! He reported that President F. D. Roosevelt snubbed him – not even sending him a telegram of congratulations – and he was often kept segregated from whites. For example, he was made to ride a freight elevator when being taken to a reception in his honor!
Yi-ikes!
Owens once said this: (And doesn't this just speak to a huge problem in the U.S.?)
Also on this date:
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