Education & Learning

Jesse Owens was an African American track athlete who won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. His story is significant because, in 1936, Europe was on the brink of World War II. Nazi Germany, under Adolf Hitler, hosted the Berlin Olympics with the intent of showcasing its ideology of Aryan racial superiority. However, the Games became notable for challenging this propaganda. Jesse Owens’ victories directly contradicted Nazi racial theories and highlighted the absurdity of racial discrimination.