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The 1936 Berlin Olympic Games were-in the mind of Adolph Hitler-going to be a showcase not just for the dominance of Germany, but for the superiority of the Aryan race.
It was Jesse Owens, a black track star from America, who almost single-handedly made a mockery of Hitler's vision. Owens dominated the 1936 Olympic games, capturing the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, the broad jump, and anchoring the gold-medal-winning 400-meter relay team.
A year earlier, Owens may have enjoyed the greatest single day ever turned in by a track athlete. Competing for Ohio State University (which wouldn't allow him to live on campus because he was black) in the Big Ten Championships, Owens set three world records and tied a fourth, all within a 70-minute span.
While Owens was able to help dispel the myth of Aryan superiority, he was not able to break down racial barriers at home. Upon his return from Berlin, Owens could not get a job, was not given any endorsements and was generally treated as a second-class citizen.
"After I came home from the 1936 Olympics with my four medals, it became increasingly apparent that everyone was going to slap me on the back, want to shake my hand or have me up to their suite," Owens said. "But no one was going to offer me a job."
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