This research project will look at the impact of the performance by Jesse Owens at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and how his performance challenged the Nazi belief in their superiority over other races. This will be done by starting with an overview of the life of Jesse Owens and his background and achievements before he went to the Olympics to compete. This will include his winning four gold medals. The discussion will then move to the setting of the 1936 Olympics, which was held in Nazi Germany and was a form of propaganda for the Nazi belief in the superiority of the Aryan race. This will be done by analyzing the performance of Jesse Owens and how it challenged the beliefs of the Nazis. The discussion will also examine Jesse Owens's response to the performance and its impact on the world, including on Adolf Hitler. This topic is relevant because it shows the relationship that often occurs between sports and politics and how one athlete’s performance may have global implications. This research also has implications for contemporary discussions around race, equality, and athletes’ social change capabilities. My research question is: How did Jesse Owens’ success at the 1936 Olympics counter the Nazi ideology of racial supremacy?
