Jesse Owens of the United States crosses the finish line to win the 100-meter dash at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin on Aug. 3, 1936. Owens matched the world record with a time of 10.3 seconds. Fellow American Ralph Metcalfe finished second, Martinus Osendarp of the Netherlands won bronze and American Frank Wykoff placed fourth. (AP Photo)
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(AURN News) — On Aug. 3, 1936, Jesse Owens won the gold medal in the 100-meter dash at the Berlin Olympic Games.
Owens finished the race in 10.3 seconds, defeating fellow American Ralph Metcalfe.
In this Aug. 3, 1936, file photo, gold medalist Jessie Owens, second right, salutes during the playing of the national anthem during the medal ceremony of the 100-meter final in Berlin. silver medalist Tinus Osendarp, third from right, of, Holland, and bronze medalist Ralph Metcalf, right, listen, along with a matron who holds a Nazi salute. The 1936 Games in Berlin, awarded about two years before Adolf Hitler became dictator, went ahead under Nazism. American track great Jesse Owens went on to win four gold medals, but he was only supposed to compete in three events, the 100 meters, 200 meters and long jump. (AP Photo/File)
The victory came in Nazi Germany, where Adolf Hitler’s regime promoted claims of Aryan racial superiority. Owens, a Black American athlete, contradicted that propaganda with his performance on the track.
The 100-meter victory was the first of four gold medals Owens won at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Owens became one of the most successful athletes in a single Olympic Games.
American athlete Jesse Owens practices in the Olympic Village, in Berlin, Germany, Aug. 5, 1936. (AP Photo)
His results in Berlin were reported around the world and remain central to the history of the Olympics, track and field, and the international struggle against racist ideology.
Clay Cane is an award-winning journalist, writer, radio host, and political commentator. A graduate of Rutgers University with a degree in African-American Studies, his work on race, culture, and politics have appeared in national publications, including the Washington Post, CNN, and The Grio. Clay is a regular political commentator on MSNBC.
