Posted on 02/25/2018 3:24:01 PM PST by GoldenState_Rose
Commissioned by the Propaganda Ministry to film the 1936 Berlin games, Leni Riefenstahl was set to showcase the triumph of German athletes as proof of Aryan physical and intellectual superiority over the rest of the world.
But Jesse Owens, who earned gold in the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, the long jump and the 4-by-100-meter relay, became the true star of Riefenstahl’s film.
The close-up on Owens’s face, the white flare of the starting gun, Owens’s lurch, and then his upright run past his competitors in 10.3 seconds, and the ever-so-close tight shot of a perturbed Hitler.
Owens had become the ultimate symbol undermining Hitler’s myth of Aryan supremacy.
Since then, however, Owens’s icon has endured several trials of its own. He has been either race hero or race traitor; an American patriot or tax evader; evidence to legitimize racist stereotypes or, progenitor of the highest standard of black excellence.
Limited by segregation and his set of skills, Owens also courted new controversies.
Indeed, said Kenneth Shropshire, a Wharton professor whose specialties include race, sports law and leadership, “no athlete was called an ‘Uncle Tom’ more than Jesse Owens.” This stereotype was heightened when Owens, at the behest of Avery Brundage, president of the United States Olympic Committee in ’36 and president of International Olympic Committee in ’68, tried to discourage black athletes from protesting American racism at the Mexico City Games.
“We will never understand the full story and the price that people like him, Joe Louis and Jackie Robinson, those of the ‘greatest generation’ paid for their little and big moments of integration...”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
I am so bored with discussions about human triumph from the perspective on race.
You know, the Germans actually won the most medals at the 36 Olympics.
I once saw a short film of Owens where he said that Hitler was nice to him. Just because the Nazis were evil does not mean that every story about them is true.
I think this is the rare case where it’s justified.
Yes, he evidently was a great athlete. But how many Americans lost their lives in Europe and Germany in WWII? Which ones sacrificed more?
Jesse Owens in the Berlin Olympics in 1930s was a seminal moment in history as well as all Americans who fought and died in WWII. Not putting a sporting event on the same level as fighting in war but both of these events were significant in history. Period.
Nobody's disputing that, you're reading too much into this story bro.............lighten up
I read a book on him. Great fellow, actually passed away from lung cancer. http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0912.html
There are other heroic stories from those Olympics, Harry Hill is a favorite, bronze medal in cycling. Cycled to London for departure and cycled back to his hometown from London upon returning. Those were different times.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Hill_(cyclist)
Rode around Nazi Berlin getting ready for his events.
Of course, Jesse deserves to be honored and Harry too.
http://www.topendsports.com/events/summer/medal-tally/1936.htm
actually, outside of Owens, the Germans kicked ass. I didn’t know that thanks
You have to admit that it was particularly sweet that it would be a *black* American who defeated a member of "The Master Race".
Go to stormfront.
I have a photo of my Father’s battalion marching in the Berlin Olympic stadium. This was not too long after the Russians captured Berlin.
The stadium looked to be undamaged which is surprising as just about all his photos of that time show heavy damage to just about everything. It also looks strange to be almost totally empty except for the soldiers parading.
Also have several of his battalion playing against the 82nd Airborne in the Berlin Polo Grounds. The (football) game was attended by Eisenhower and Marshall Zhukov.
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