Seen here in action during the 1936 Summer Olympics, American Track and Field athlete Jesse Owens remained one of the most iconic figures in the sport and went on to earn four gold medals in the event in the Long Jump, 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay divisions, and he was recognized in his lifetime as being one of the greatest ever to compete. The Jesse Owens Award is the highest accolade for athletes in track and field and remains a prestigious award to this day. Owens was born in Oakville, Alabama, though his family relocated to Cleveland, Ohio, during the Great Migration, as many black Americans moved north for more excellent economic opportunities. Owens would go on to attend Ohio State University and was still attending school when he accomplished what had come to be known as the Day of Days. On May 25, he established four world records in athletics. In a 45-minute span, he set three new world records and tied a fourth at the Big Ten meet at Ferry Field in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The accomplishment has been said to be among the most impressive single days of competition in the world of sport. The 1936 Summer Olympics remain one of the most controversial moments in twentieth-century history as they were held in Nazi Germany, and many detractors felt American athletes should not compete in a country that was under fascist rule. This is truly an iconic piece of American sporting history.
