Jesse Owens

Many people have different ideas of what a hero is. Some say that a hero is someone who has the courage to stand up against what is wrong, whether it be a famous general leading his troops to victory or an African American just wishing to have the simple pleasure to sit on the same bus as a white man. I think that a hero is someone who has the will and the passion to never stop until they accomplish their goal. A hero is someone who is ready to do something totally extraordinary to shock the world but at the same time someone who knows when to speak up when something is wrong. I think a perfect example of a hero would be African American track and field legend Jesse Owens.

Jesse Owens was born into a financially troubled family in Ohio in 1913 as the seventh of eleven children. His parents, Emma and Henry Owens, had a hard time raising the children and often times needed the help of Jesse to raise the kids and get a job to help pay the bills. It is this troubled household that gave Jesse a hard work ethic and a sense of responsibility. The true story of Jesse Owens begins, though, when he met an inspiring track coach at his high school named Charles Riley. Riley encouraged Owens to join the team after seeing his raw yet untrained talent. Owens ended up becoming the fastest runner on the track team, being able to run the 100 yard dash in 10 seconds flat.

Riley, sensing his incredible talent and potential, stayed with Owens after he graduated and was accepted into Ohio State on a full-ride track scholarship. In his sophomore year Owens did something to amaze the world. With a seriously injured back from a fall down a flight of stairs Owens broke three world records and tied a fourth at a Big Ten Meet. It was this spectacular event that gave him the confidence to enter the 1936 Olympics, also known as the “Hitler Olympics”. At the time no one thought that anyone could stand up to Hitler’s super athletes, especially not an African American. Jesse ended up winning three gold medals. He competed in the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, the broad jump and the 400 meter relay, and by the end of the events even the German crowd was cheering for Owens. Owens performed a spectacular feat by beating Hitler’s Aryan runner and also ended up being the first American to win four consecutive gold medals.

Even though Jesse’s accomplishments in the 1936 Olympics were astounding and heroic, the real hero inside Jesse Owens did not come out until he came home. Jesse Owens had done a great service for his country and brought fame and glory to it but still no one paid attention to that simply because he was a black man. The memory of the hero of Jesse Owens faded away while Owens was forced to accept work racing against horses and motorcycles for entertainment at half time shows without any recognition for what he had done. Owens decided to let the real hero inside him come out, though, and took a stand against the oppression the blacks were suffering. He became a strong activist in the civil rights movement as a public speaker and also started many youth sport and activity programs for underprivileged African American children. His work in the civil rights movement is what made him a real hero and it showed in 1976 when President Ford awarded him The Medal of Freedom award for his help in the fight against segregation.

A hero is someone who is able to stand up for whatever it is they believe; no matter what the consequences. Owens showed that he was a hero by having the willpower and determination to become one of the fastest runners in the world and defeat the German runners but also by showing his strength, dexterity and courage to fight for the rights of African Americans. It was his help and determination that was one of the many keys to bringing segregation to an end and because of that I have realized that Jesse Owens is one of the strongest examples of a real life hero.