PEPLEFREVER
Jesse Owens

Sport

Jesse Owens

1913 – 1980 · aged 66 · Track and field athlete

“We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination.”

Portrait: Acme News Photos, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

153 candles15 tributes
Light a candleGive

Remember Jesse

169 people are remembering Jesse here

Latest: Bobby Lewis 🇺🇸 lit a candle 10d ago

153candles litLight a candle15tributes sharedWrite a tributeGivein their memoryGive in Jesse’s memory

Their story

Suggest a change

A short note about this profile goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the 1936 Berlin Olympics in front of Adolf Hitler, in the 100m, 200m, long jump and relay. He returned to a segregated America and worked for decades as a speaker and youth advocate.

Read more on Wikipedia ↗

In their own words

“We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination.”

Photos

5
Photo of Jesse Owens in 1936.
Acme News Photos, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
by People Forever

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Jesse Owens at Madame Tussauds London - November 1st, 2016.
Luke Rauscher, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
by People Forever

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Jesse Owen's room in the 1936 Olympic Village in Berlin as seen today.
drrcs15, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
by People Forever

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

For documentary purposes the German Federal Archive often retained the original image captions, which may be erroneous, biased, obsolete or politically extreme.
UnknownUnknown ; cropped by Beyond My Ken (talk) 05:51, 31 December 2009 (UTC), CC BY-SA 3.0 de, via Wikimedia Commons
by People Forever

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Videos

7
jesse owens 1936 olympics adolf hitler
6d ago

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Jesse Owens at Berlin 1936 | Epic Olympic Moments
6d ago

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Marty Glickman - 1936 Berlin Olympics and Jesse Owens
6d ago

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

QI | Who Snubbed Jesse Owens At The 1936 Olympics?
6d ago

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Tributes

15

Memories, thanks and farewells from the people Jesse touched.

A memory, a thank-you, a goodbye. You can add a photo.
Sort:Showing 15 of 15

Suggest a change

A short note about this tribute goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

In memory

I was there for one of Jesse's greatest moments. I've told my kids about it a hundred times.

George Gordon14d ago

Suggest a change

A short note about this reply goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Same here. Exactly this.

Isha Naidu
20 Nov 2025

Suggest a change

A short note about this tribute goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

I never met Jesse, but I feel like I grew up with them. Thank you for being part of my life.

Elaine Wang
26 Oct 2025

Suggest a change

A short note about this tribute goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Rest in peace

Gone too soon, even at any age. There was so much more to come.

David Shaw
3 Sept 2025

Suggest a change

A short note about this tribute goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Still with us

Jesse showed us what it looks like to give everything. Every single time.

Suggest a change

A short note about this tribute goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

I cried when I heard the news, and I'm not ashamed of it. Jesse was part of the soundtrack of my life.

Tammy Pierce2 Apr 2026

Suggest a change

A short note about this reply goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Sending love from the States.

Wendy Ingram
27 Aug 2025

Suggest a change

A short note about this tribute goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

My grandmother loved Jesse. When she died we played their work at the funeral. Now they're both gone. Strange how connected it all is.

Stavros Dimitriou31 Aug 2025

Suggest a change

A short note about this reply goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

I feel exactly the same way.

Fred Reid20 Sept 2025

Suggest a change

A short note about this reply goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Well put.

Daniela Rossi
27 Jul 2025

Suggest a change

A short note about this tribute goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

My dad introduced me to Jesse's work when I was a kid. We talked about it for hours. Today I'm thinking of both of them.

Isha Kapoor29 Jul 2025

Suggest a change

A short note about this reply goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Same here. Exactly this.

Beatriz Carvalho14 May 2026

Suggest a change

A short note about this reply goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

I feel exactly the same way.

Ochieng Ochieng
24 Jun 2025

Suggest a change

A short note about this tribute goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Jesse Owens will be remembered long after the rest of us are forgotten. That's what greatness looks like.

Tanvi Chopra
19 May 2025

Suggest a change

A short note about this tribute goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Rest in peace

Thank you, Jesse. For the joy, the honesty, and for showing up when it mattered.

Ella Whitaker21 May 2025

Suggest a change

A short note about this reply goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Beautifully said.

Janet Hopkins
6 May 2025

Suggest a change

A short note about this tribute goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Thank you for a lifetime of it, Jesse. Rest in peace.

Suggest a change

A short note about this tribute goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Rest in peace

Not many people can say they made millions of strangers feel less alone. Jesse could.

Giulia Mancini27 Aug 2025

Suggest a change

A short note about this reply goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Couldn't agree more.

Maeve Thomas5 Feb 2026

Suggest a change

A short note about this reply goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

♥

Russell Warren
26 Mar 2025

Suggest a change

A short note about this tribute goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Never forgotten

I keep coming back to this page. It helps to know so many others feel the same.

Emily Thomas7 Feb 2026

Suggest a change

A short note about this reply goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Beautifully said.

Terry West
25 Mar 2025

Suggest a change

A short note about this tribute goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Rest in peace

To the family: you shared Jesse with all of us for so long. Thank you. We're holding you in our thoughts.

Madison Burns
21 Mar 2025

Suggest a change

A short note about this tribute goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Gratitude

Jesse once said something in an interview that changed how I thought about my own work. I've never forgotten it.

Denise Duncan
19 Mar 2025

Suggest a change

A short note about this tribute goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Lighting a candle from Canada. Jesse meant a great deal to a lot of us here.

Nicole Grant1 Jul 2025

Suggest a change

A short note about this reply goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

I feel exactly the same way.

Harold Spiegel15 Mar 2026

Suggest a change

A short note about this reply goes straight to the person who looks after the profile: a correction, a missing detail, a better photo. Up to 100 words.

0 / 100 words

Report this

Tell us what is wrong. Reports are private; the person who posted it will not know who reported it.

Well put.

Candles

153

169 people are remembering Jesse here. Light a candle when words are hard. It stays here.

Bobby Lewis🇺🇸10d ago
Gone but never forgotten.
Chava Marcus🇺🇸14d ago
Pierre Simon🇨🇦27d ago
Ilana Kramer🇺🇸9 Aug 2026
Rest now.
Hyejin Bui🇺🇸1 Aug 2026
Henry Lam🇺🇸26 Jul 2026
Rest now.
Anonymous🇺🇸21 Jul 2026
Grateful for your life.
Araceli Santiago🇺🇸9 Jul 2026
Karen Peterson🇺🇸18 Jun 2026
Earl Smith🇺🇸10 Jun 2026
Isha Naidu🇮🇳21 May 2026
Thank you.
Nancy Pham🇺🇸10 May 2026
Ines Gonzalez🇺🇸10 May 2026
Kayla Gordon🇺🇸24 Apr 2026
Russell Warren🇺🇸19 Apr 2026
Brenda Newman🇺🇸15 Apr 2026
Thank you.
Archie Rice🇨🇦8 Apr 2026
Rest now.
Rebecca Mills🇺🇸2 Apr 2026
Kirsty Hart🇺🇸31 Mar 2026
Blanca Cabrera🇺🇸26 Mar 2026
Showing 20 of 153

Timeline

  1. 12 September 1913
    Born in Oakville, Alabama, USA
  2. 31 March 1980
    Died in Tucson, Arizona, USA
QR code

Share this profile

Print the QR code on a funeral programme or order of service so people can find their way here.

WhatsAppSMSEmailFacebookX