Jesse was named JC Owens by his father, and later called Jesse Cleveland Owens. He was born in Danville, Alabama. His parents were sharecroppers, and later moved to Cleveland, Ohio. Owens was a sickly child and suffered from chronic bronchial congestion and even pneumonia.

Jesse overcame his childhood illnesses to set his first track record when he was in junior high school. In high school he set national records. At Ohio State University he was the first Negro to be elected the captain of the track team and was an All-American.

In 1936 he won a place on the Olympic team. At the Olympics in Berlin, Owens was the star attraction. He won four gold metals. Owens returned home aboard the Queen Mary, and thousands greeted him on the pier. There were no endorsement campaigns in those days, so Owens worked a variety of jobs. He spent a lifetime working with underprivileged youth.

In Berlin, a street leading to the Olympic stadium is named Jesse Owens Allee. Owens traveled the world as an Ambassador of Sports representing the US. From President Eisenhower to Carter, Owens was recognized by each administration. Owens is a recipient of the Medal of Freedom and also received a Living Legend Award in 1979.