A Tribute to Jesse Owens: The Athlete Who Defied the Nazi Ideology

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 “Each of the German victories and there were a surprising number of these made him happy, but he was highly annoyed by the series of triumphs by the marvellous colored American runner, Jesse Owens. People whose antecedents came from the jungle were primitive, Hitler said with a shrug; their physiques were stronger than those of civilized whites and hence should be excluded from future games” (Inside the Third Reich, p.73)

Jesse Owens was hardly affected by Hitler’s feelings though. He broke two more Olympic records and tied another. He succeeded in winning the hearts of the 110,000 people in the Berlin’s Olympic Stadium and they cheered for him during his races. After the games, people sought him to ask for his autograph.

Even after this great defying act in Berlin, Owens’s battles for equality did not end. He was appalled by the unfair way black people were treated in his own country. He later became a philanthropist, giving speeches in India and East Asia, which he visited as a messenger of goodwill.

Jesse Owens died on March 30, 1980 from lung cancer.

Jesse Owens was a man who had a dream. That dream was of equality and of love—love towards fellow humans. He lived that dream which was directly opposed to that one of the Nazis. And he came out on top triumphing over their ideology in the heart of the Nazi’s country then.

He had a dream that every human wishes to have, but not every human has the courage to follow. Jesse Owens was an American athlete but was also much more than that. He was a representative of humanity.

“May his light shine forever as a symbol for all who run for the freedom of sport,

for the spirit of humanity, for the memory of Jesse Owens.” (Charles Chigna)

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Owens

http://library.thinkquest.org/2667/Owens.htm

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