Colorado Parks & Wildlife Research Library

A simple biography of the noted African-American track star who competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

When fourteen-year-old Leggie LaGrande, star runner on the Bricklin Middle School track team, suffers a hamstring injury at the very start of the season, he figures his shot at the Junior Olympics is over--but his coach insists that even if he cannot run he can still compete in some other track and field event, so he finds himself working out at the shot put, competing with a new student whom he dislikes.

The story of track and field legend Jesse Owens, and his record-breaking performance at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany.

Meet Jesse Owens, an African American runner who won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin! What made his achievement even more memorable was that Adolph Hitler expected the Olympic Games to be a German showcase. In fact, he criticized the United States for even including black athletes on its Olympic roster. According to many reports, after Owens won his fourth gold medal, Hitler stormed out of the stadium. In 1936 Jesse Owens took a stand...

A simple biography of one of the most inspirational athletes in history.