You've probably never felt what it's like to wear four beautiful Olympic gold medals around your neck. But a man named Jesse Owens did it. He was an African-American track and field star who lived in the 1900s and experienced the thrill of winning too many times to count. Jesse Owens' life was filled with childhood poverty, as well as constant segregation and discrimination, and yet he managed to entertain and prove to the world that his exceptional athletic abilities can come from anyone, no matter how different. -he. Jesse Owens' childhood began in Oakville, Alabama on September 12, 1913 (source 3). He lived with his father, Henry Cleveland Owens, his mother, Emma Alexander Owens, and his six brothers and sisters (source 2). When Jesse was a young boy, he constantly battled pneumonia and chronic bronchial congestion, which made him very vulnerable to illness (source 3). Yet, with many mouths to feed, everyone had to do their part. Due to their African American race, the family did not obtain well-paying jobs. So, at age seven, Jesse was forced to work in the fields, picking about a hundred pounds of cotton a day to get food on their table (source 3). Despite this difficult childhood, Jesse Owens managed to receive a decent education. Owens' future career was discovered in 1928 at Fairmount Jr. High School in Cleveland (source 6). Jesse competed in track and field events and achieved miraculous results. Jesse Owens set Jr. High School records in the high jump – flying over 6 feet, and the long jump – leaping 22 feet 11 ¾ inches (source 2). With this skill, his coaches encouraged him to join high school athletics. In high school, Mr. Owens participated in a competition called Ohi...... middle of paper ...... hard work throughout his life. life. Best known for showing how things can be achieved even in difficult times, for example segregation and discrimination. His drive to live up to what he was capable of is enough to satisfy and we should all be more like Jesse Owens for that reason. Works Cited "1936 Olympic Games - Inside Scoop!". 1936 Olympic Games - Inside Scoop!. Np, and Web. April 25, 2014. .Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, and Web. April 25, 2014. http://www.biography.com/#!/people/jesse-owens-9431142>."Biography." JesseOwens.com. Np, and Web. April 25, 2014. “Jesse Owens Biography.” Online biography. Np, and Web. April 25, 2014. “Owens, Jesse.” World Book N, O, 14. 2007 ed. 2007. Print.