A Tribute to Jesse Owens: The Athlete Who Defied the Nazi Ideology

In history, men existed who with their way of life have inspired many others to act for something better. Some used words, other actions. But all simply did not quit even when facing enormous obstacles in they way.   The American athlete Jesse Owens was one of those men.   James Cleveland “Jesse” Owens was born on September 12, 1913, to Henry and Emma Owens. In his early years, he suffered from health problems. In fact, he almost died while suffering from a recurrent pneumonia. His mother helped him to overcome his illness and get back to his feet.   It was a difficult time for Jesse. His family was poor and like other black people at that time in America, they were also mistreated. His father, Henry Owens, was only skilled in farming and had difficulty finding another job which made things even worse for the family. Jesse’s brothers had to work hard too in order to get by.   After his family moved to Cleveland, Jesse Owens became involved in ... (link)