Degree Name
MA (Master of Arts)
Program
History
Date of Award
12-2012
Committee Chair or Co-Chairs
Elwood D. Watson
Committee Members
J. David Briley
Abstract
Jesse Owens was the star of the Berlin Olympics in 1936. His four gold medals in Hitler's Germany, as an African American, had far reaching implications back in the United States. Despite segregation and a social hierarchy that was an impasse to both black opportunity and achievement, Owens created a lasting legacy that drastically impacted race relations. The purpose of this thesis was to examine what the Olympic glory of Owens represented for society. Owens as an Olympian in 1936 manufactured a brand of social capital that tied people together in commonality—as Americans. As well, in both myth and deed, Owens has been traditionally credited with challenging Hitler's beliefs of Aryan Supremacy. Yet, Owens was also a race pioneer, as his athletic feats were read in newspapers all over the country, and as a result, helped shift the consciousness of Southerners who were historically ignorant of black achievement.
Document Type
Thesis - unrestricted
Recommended Citation
Nash, Casey Aaron, "The Olympic Glory of Jesse Owens: A Contribution to Civil Rights and Society" (2012). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 1510. https://dc.etsu.edu/etd/1510
Copyright
Copyright by the authors.