Jesse Owens Timeline

(1913 - 1980)

Jesse Owens was an American track and field athlete who rose to international fame at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, where he won four gold medals in the 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and 4x100 meter relay. His remarkable achievements challenged Nazi claims of Aryan racial superiority and made him one of the most celebrated athletes in history. More Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Early Life

Born in Oakville, Alabama

Sep 12, 1913

James Cleveland Owens was born on September 12, 1913, in Oakville, Alabama, the youngest of ten children of Henry and Emma Owens, sharecroppers in the segregated South.

Image source: Jesse Owens

Family moves to Cleveland, Ohio

1922

Seeking better opportunities, the Owens family moved north to Cleveland, Ohio, as part of the Great Migration. It was there that his teacher learned his name was J.C., and 'Jesse' became his lifelong nickname.

Meets coach Charles Riley at Fairmount Junior High

1927

At Fairmount Junior High School in Cleveland, Jesse met track coach Charles Riley, who trained him before school and became a lifelong mentor, nurturing his extraordinary sprinting talent.

Image source: Jonathan Smith (American football coach)

Attends East Technical High School in Cleveland

1930

Owens attended East Technical High School, where he continued to develop into a national-caliber sprinter and long jumper under dedicated coaching.

Marries Minnie Ruth Solomon

Jul 5, 1935

Owens married his high school sweetheart Minnie Ruth Solomon in Cleveland. The couple had met years earlier at Fairmount Junior High and remained married until his death, raising three daughters together.

Athletic Career

Ties world record in 100-yard dash at national high school meet

Jun 1933

At the National Interscholastic Championships in Chicago, Owens tied the world record of 9.4 seconds in the 100-yard dash and won the long jump, announcing himself as a national sensation.

Enrolls at Ohio State University

Sep 1933

Owens enrolled at Ohio State University, where he competed for the Buckeyes while working to support himself and facing racial discrimination, including being barred from living on campus.

Image source: Ohio State Buckeyes

Wins NCAA titles in four events

1935

Owens won NCAA championship titles in the 100 yards, 220 yards, long jump, and 220-yard low hurdles, demonstrating unmatched versatility across sprints and jumps.

Image source: NCAA Division I Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championships

Sets three world records and ties a fourth at the Big Ten championships

May 25, 1935

In one legendary afternoon at Ferry Field in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Owens set world records in the 100-yard dash, 220-yard dash, and 220-yard low hurdles, and broke the long jump world record with a leap of 26 feet 8¼ inches that stood for 25 years.

Long jump record stands for 25 years until Bob Beamon

Oct 18, 1968

Owens' 1935 long jump world record of 8.13 meters endured for a quarter century until Bob Beamon's famous 'Beamonesque' leap of 8.90 meters at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.

Image source: Bob Beamon

1936 Berlin Olympics

AAU debates Olympic boycott of Nazi Germany

Dec 1935

Amateur Athletic Union officials debated boycotting the 1936 Berlin Olympics over Nazi Germany's persecution of Jews. The boycott motion failed by two votes, clearing the way for American athletes, including Owens, to compete.

Image source: 1936 Summer Olympics

Wins gold in the 100 meters at the Berlin Olympics

Aug 3, 1936

Owens won his first Olympic gold medal in the 100-meter dash at the Berlin Games, running 10.3 seconds and defeating teammate Ralph Metcalfe in front of Adolf Hitler.

Wins gold in the long jump after Luz Long's advice

Aug 4, 1936

After fouling twice in qualifying, German athlete Luz Long famously advised Owens to adjust his takeoff mark. Owens qualified and went on to win gold with an Olympic record jump of 8.06 meters, beginning a celebrated friendship with Long.

Image source: Luz Long

Wins gold in the 200 meters at the Berlin Olympics

Aug 5, 1936

Owens captured his third gold medal in the 200-meter dash, setting an Olympic record of 20.7 seconds despite running against the wind.

Image source: Athletics at the 1936 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres

Wins fourth gold in the 4x100 meter relay

Aug 9, 1936

Owens ran the first leg for the United States in the 4x100 meter relay, which set a world record of 39.8 seconds. He had been reinstated to the team after Marty Glickman and Sam Stoller, both Jewish Americans, were controversially dropped.

Later Life and Legacy

Returns home to ticker-tape parade in New York City

Sep 1936

Following his historic Olympic triumphs, Owens received a hero's welcome in New York City, including a ticker-tape parade along Broadway celebrating his four gold medals.

Expelled from AAU after declining European tour

Dec 1936

Owens declined to tour Europe with the U.S. Olympic team, choosing instead to return home for commercial opportunities. The AAU stripped him of his amateur status, ending his competitive amateur career.

Image source: Amateur Athletic Union

Races against horses and trains for money

1937

Barred from amateur competition and denied lucrative endorsements, Owens earned a living through exhibition races against thoroughbred horses and even trains, later saying he resented having to race animals.

Founds a public relations firm in Chicago

1950

Owens established a successful public relations and marketing business in Chicago, becoming a sought-after speaker and advocate for youth sports and civil rights causes.

Named greatest track athlete of the half century

1950

Sportswriters voted Jesse Owens the greatest track and field athlete of the first half of the twentieth century, cementing his status as a sporting legend.

Serves as U.S. goodwill ambassador

1955

President Dwight D. Eisenhower appointed Owens as a goodwill ambassador for the United States, sending him around the world to promote American values and athletic ideals during the Cold War.

Publishes autobiography Blackthink

1970

Owens published his autobiography 'Blackthink: My Life as Black Man and White Man,' in which he shared his views on race, opportunity, and personal responsibility in America.

Image source: ThinkPad

Inducted into inaugural USA Track & Field Hall of Fame class

1974

Owens was among the first group of athletes enshrined in the newly created USA Track & Field Hall of Fame, honoring his unmatched contributions to the sport.

Image source: National Track and Field Hall of Fame

Receives Presidential Medal of Freedom

Aug 5, 1976

President Gerald Ford awarded Jesse Owens the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, recognizing his athletic achievements and contributions to American society.

Image source: Presidential Medal of Freedom

Receives Living Legend Award from President Carter

1979

President Jimmy Carter honored Owens with the Living Legend Award at the White House, further acknowledging his enduring impact on sports and civil rights.

Diagnosed with lung cancer

Dec 1979

Owens was diagnosed with lung cancer after decades of heavy smoking, a battle he faced publicly while continuing to inspire others until his final months.

Dies in Tucson, Arizona

Mar 31, 1980

Jesse Owens died of lung cancer at age 66 in Tucson, Arizona. He was buried at Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago, mourned worldwide as one of history's greatest Olympians.

Awarded Congressional Gold Medal posthumously

1990

President George H. W. Bush presented the Congressional Gold Medal to Owens' family, making him one of the few athletes to receive both the Medal of Freedom and Congress's highest honor.

Image source: Congressional Gold Medal

Jesse Owens Memorial Park opens in Alabama

1996

A memorial park honoring Owens opened near his birthplace in Danville, Alabama, featuring a museum, statue, and replica of his childhood home, preserving his legacy for future generations.

Image source: Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium

Portrayed in film Race

Feb 19, 2016

The biographical film 'Race,' starring Stephan James as Jesse Owens, dramatized his journey from college star to Olympic legend, introducing his story to a new generation of audiences.

Image source: Race (2016 film)

Key Facts

Jesse Owens was born James Cleveland Owens on September 12, 1913, in Oakville, Alabama, to a family of sharecroppers.
At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, he won four gold medals: 100m, 200m, long jump, and 4x100m relay.
In 1935, at the Big Ten Championships, he set three world records and tied another within 45 minutes, often called 'the greatest 45 minutes in sports history.'
His victories in Berlin directly contradicted Adolf Hitler's propaganda of Aryan supremacy, though Owens faced continued discrimination upon returning to the United States.
Owens received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1976 and died on March 31, 1980, in Tucson, Arizona.

Source

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