Jesse Owens

Jesse Owens spent long hot days in the sun picking cotton. The coach of the high school track team asked Jesse to be on the team. Jesse was asked to come to Ohio State University and run for the track team. Jesse ran a 100-yard dash in just 9.4 seconds. Jesse broke the world broad jump record with a leap of 26 feet, 8 1/4 inches.

When Jesse jumped in the Olympics, he thought that it was a practice jump but it wasn’t. Many people were not fair with Jesse and he lost lots of money. Many people wrote angry letters to Jesse. Jesse died of lung cancer.

Jesse broke three world records and tied another record at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Jesse won the 100-meter dash. Jesse won his fourth gold medal as part of the 400-meter relay team. Jesse started some businesses that worked out well while others failed.

Jesse won the 200-meter dash. Jesse beat Luz Long in the final broad jump and set a world record. Jesse helped start athletic programs for kids. Jesse worked for the Recreation Department of Cook County. Jesse wrote two books. One is called Blackthink and the other one is called I Have Changed.