August 3rd: Today in 1936 Jesse Owens won the first of his four gold medals at the 1936 Olympics by winning the 100 yard dash event. Jesse Owens is often used as an example of pluck, a black ‘racial inferior’ in German terms of the day who came and beat their best athletes but it is interesting that he was treated better in Germany than many might have expected. He stayed in the same hotels as white athletes did and was sought out for autographs by German fans. He said he never felt snubbed by Hitler, but he did say he felt snubbed by President Roosevelt who never offered any congratulations and he did have to ride the freight elevator to the reception in his honor at the Waldorf Hotel in New York.

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