In Hitler’s Berlin, Jesse Owens Goes for Gold
Jesse Owens was born in 1913, in Oakville, Lawrence County, Alabama. He was only nine years old when his large sharecropper family relocated to Cleveland, Ohio, in search of better economic opportunity.
Owens became a track and field standout and enrolled at Ohio State University. At the Big Ten Conference championship in 1935, he set three world records and tied another, all in the space of a single, incredible, unrivaled hour.
He soon qualified for the 1936 Olympics in Berlin. Newly ascended German Chancellor Adolf Hitler envisioned the games as a means of demonstrating to the world his ideas on the supremacy of the Aryan “master race.” But the Alabama-born runner was among several Olympians of color who provided a dramatic counterargument. In three consecutive days, starting on Aug. 3, 1936, Owens garnered gold medals for the 100-meter dash (10.30 seconds), 200-meter dash (20.70 seconds) and the long jump (8.06 meters). He earned a fourth gold medal on Aug. 9, as part of a record-setting
relay team.
American newspapers proclaimed Owens a hero, but he returned to a segregated society. Shut out of further Olympic glory because of the outbreak of World War II, Owens held several jobs as an entertainment promoter, enthusiastic youth sports organizer and as a corporate-relations executive with Ford Motor Company. He was a near constant presence on the inspirational lecture circuit.
When Owens died in Arizona in 1980, his Olympic achievements of four decades earlier remained unequaled. At the 1984 games in Los Angeles, Birmingham native Carl Lewis matched, but did not top, his record. Today, a memorial park and museum jesseowensmuseum.org in his Alabama hometown honors Owens as one of the nation’s great Olympians.
— Scotty Kirkland
Alabama Living wins national awards
Alabama Living received three honors at the recent national Cooperative Communicators Association Conference in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Editor Lenore Vickrey took a second place award in the long-form feature category for her story, “Getting a Jump Start on College” in the July 2025 issue, which featured cooperative members who participated in dual enrollment at their high schools and local colleges.
Columnist Joe Hobby won second place for his columns, “Cup o’ Joe,” which are a reader favorite.
The magazine itself took third place in member publications with an annual budget greater than $150,001.
The CCA is a national organization of 350 cooperative communicators who work for various cooperative businesses, such as agriculture, electric and service, from the United States, England and Canada.
Whereville, AL – August 2026
Identify and place this Alabama landmark and you could win $25! Winner is chosen at random from all correct entries. Multiple entries from the same person will be disqualified. Send your answer with your name, address and the name of your rural electric cooperative, if applicable. The winner and answer will be announced in the September issue.
Submit by email: whereville@alabamaliving.coop, or by mail: Whereville, 340 Technacenter Drive, Montgomery, AL 36117. Contribute a photo you took for an upcoming issue! Send a photo of an interesting or unusual landmark in Alabama, which must be accessible to the public. A reader whose photo is chosen will also win $25..
July’s answer: This statue of George Washington kneeling in prayer is on the grounds of American Village in Montevallo and was dedicated Dec. 1, 2018. A plaque with the statue reads: “Given to the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and in loving memory of Dave Minshew II, grandson of Dan and Pat Howard.” (Photo by Sean Burnley of Alabama Living) The randomly drawn correct guess winner is Carolyn Thomas of Southern Pine EC.
