Jesse Owens

by Jim Gigliotti

Published 6 April 2010
From humble beginnings and a childhood marked by disease and poverty, Jesse Owens sprinted to Olympic gold. His success in the 1936 Berlin games was a victory for equality - and an affront to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler's view of Aryan supremacy. The story of this exceptional athlete will fascinate children who will learn about: his near-death experience at only 5 years old; the perfect day when Jesse broke three world records - and equaled another; how an act of kindness to an opponent cost him a race, but won fans' hearts; and his amazing Olympic triumph.