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'''James Cleveland''' "'''Jesse'''" '''Owens''' (September 12, 1913-March 31, 1980) was an American [[track and field]] athlete and four-time Olympic gold medalist.

'''James Cleveland''' "'''Jesse'''" '''Owens''' (September 12, 1913-March 31, 1980) was an American [[track and field]] athlete and four-time Olympic gold medalist.

Owens specialized in the sprints and the long jump and was recognized in his lifetime as "perhaps the greatest and most famous athlete in track and field history".<ref>{{cite web|last= Litsky |first= Frank|year=1980 |title=Jesse Owens Dies Of Cancer at 66 |publication-place=''New York Times'' |url=http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0912.html |accessdate= March 23, 2014 }}</ref> His achievement of setting three world records and tying another in less than an hour at the 1935 Big Ten track meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan has been called "the greatest 45 minutes ever in sport"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/more/05/24/owens.record.day/ |title=Greatest 45 minutes ever in sports |last=Rothschild |first= Richard |date= May 24, 2010|website= Sports Illustrated.com |accessdate= March 23, 2014}}</ref> and has never been equaled. At the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, [[Nazi Germany|Germany]], Owens won international fame with four gold medals: 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and 4 × 100 meter relay. He was the most successful athlete at the games and as such has been credited with "single-handedly crush[ing] [[Adolf Hitler|Hitler's]] myth of Aryan supremacy."<ref name=Schwartz>{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016393.html |title=Owens Pierced A Myth |last=Schwartz |first=Larry |publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures |work=ESPN |year=2000 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20000706211910/http://espn.go.com:80/sportscentury/features/00016393.html |archivedate=July 6, 2000 }}</ref>

Owens was most accomplished in sprinting and long jump events; he was recognized in his lifetime as "perhaps the greatest and most famous athlete in track and field history".<ref>{{cite web|last= Litsky |first= Frank|year=1980 |title=Jesse Owens Dies Of Cancer at 66 |publication-place=''New York Times'' |url=http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0912.html |accessdate= March 23, 2014 }}</ref> He set three world records and tied another in less than an hour at the 1935 Big Ten track meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan; this has been called "the greatest 45 minutes ever in sport"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/more/05/24/owens.record.day/ |title=Greatest 45 minutes ever in sports |last=Rothschild |first= Richard |date= May 24, 2010|website= Sports Illustrated.com |accessdate= March 23, 2014}}</ref> and has never been equaled. At the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, [[Nazi Germany|Germany]], Owens won four gold medals: 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and 4 × 100 meter relay. He was the most successful athlete at the games and as was credited with "single-handedly crush[ing] [[Adolf Hitler|Hitler's]] myth of Aryan supremacy."<ref name=Schwartz>{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016393.html |title=Owens Pierced A Myth |last=Schwartz |first=Larry |publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures |work=ESPN |year=2000 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20000706211910/http://espn.go.com:80/sportscentury/features/00016393.html |archivedate=July 6, 2000 }}</ref>

In 1976, Jesse was awarded the highest honor an American civilian can receive by President [[Gerald R. Ford]], the Medal of Freedom. [http://www.jesseowens.com/biography/]

In 1976, President [[Gerald R. Ford]] awarded Owens the highest honor an American civilian can receive, the Medal of Freedom. [http://www.jesseowens.com/biography/]

''"Perhaps no athlete better symbolized the human struggle against [[tyranny]], [[poverty]] and racial bigotry. His personal triumphs as a world-class [[athlete]] and record holder were the prelude to a career devoted to helping others. His work with young athletes, as an unofficial ambassador overseas, and a spokesman for [[freedom]] are a rich legacy to his fellow Americans".'' President [[James Carter]]. [http://www.jesse-owens.org/about5.html]

''"Perhaps no athlete better symbolized the human struggle against [[tyranny]], [[poverty]] and racial bigotry. His personal triumphs as a world-class [[athlete]] and record holder were the prelude to a career devoted to helping others. His work with young athletes, as an unofficial ambassador overseas, and a spokesman for [[freedom]] are a rich legacy to his fellow Americans".'' President [[James Carter]]. [http://www.jesse-owens.org/about5.html]