Jesse Owens, born September 12, 1913 in Oakville, Alabama, is recognized as one of the greatest track and field athletes in history. He set three world records in the span of forty five minutes during the Big Ten track meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1935.
He won four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany: 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump and 4 x 100 meter relay. His achievements made him the most successful athlete at the games.
The street outside the Olympic Stadium in Berlin has been named Jesse Owens Boulevard and the dormitory where he stayed during the games has been restored into a living museum with pictures of his accomplishments.
He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Gerald Ford, the Living Legend Award by President Jimmy Carter, has an asteroid named after him (6758 Jesseowens), and inducted into the inaugural class of the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.
Owens died in March 1980 from an agressive, drug-resistant type of lung cancer.
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