Jesse Owens Accomplishments

Jesse Owens had the whole world against him and he still prevailed, proving he is an American hero. Jesse was the son of a sharecropper and his grandpa was a slave. He was born in Alabama in the year 1913 and he moved to Cleveland, Ohio when he was nine. His real name is James, but when he told a teacher his initials: J.C. with his thick southern accent, they thought he said Jesse and the name stuck. He was a revolutionary hero by his achievements, dedication, and in the wake he left behind, he destroyed Hitler's idea of Aryan supremacy.

Jesse Owens was a phenomenal athlete and achieved many exceptional feats in his career. Even at a young age Jesse excelled in all his track events. “He set Junior High School records by clearing 6 feet in the

All U.S. revolutionary heroes follow a trend: they all worked incredibly hard to achieve what they were famous for. Jesse Owens falls right into that trend. “He worked as a night elevator operator, a waiter, he pumped gas, worked in the library stacks, and served a stint as a page in the Ohio Statehouse, all of this in between practice and record setting on the field in intercollegiate competition.” (Luminary 1). While Jesse was away at college he already had a tough schedule with all his classes and competing and practicing in track. That still didn’t stop him from working five jobs so he could continue going to school and training. Jesse Owens not only showed amazing dedication off the field, but on the field he was even stronger. “…as he was suffering from a sore back as a result from a fall down a flight of stairs. He convinced his coach to allow him to run the 100-yard dash as a test for his back, and amazingly Jesse recorded an official time of 9.4 seconds, once again tying the world record.” (Ross 2). When most athletes are hurt they are wimpy about it and won’t want to play, but not Jesse. While having great pain in his back Jesse didn’t give up he continued to compete and tied the world record yet again. All of Jesse’s childhood and young adult shows just how much he is an inspiration for up and coming kids who feel the world is against