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Jesse Owens is born
Henry and Mary Emma Owens gives birth to James Cleveland (J.C.) Owens in Oakville, Alabama. -
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Owens family moves to Cleveland, Ohip
The Owens family moves to Cleveland, Ohio. James Cleveland Owens enrolls in Bolton Elementary School where he becomes known as "Jesse" (from "J.C.") Owens. -
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Jesse Owens Sets First Records.
Owens sets his first records in the high jump and long jump at Fairmount Junior High School under coach and life-long mentor, Charles Riley. -
Jesse Owens Enrolls into School
Owens enrolls into Cleveland’s East Technical School. Riley follows as a volunteer assistant coach. -
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Jesse Owens Competes in the Midwestern Races
Owens competes in the Midwestern preliminary trials at Northwestern University. Owens loses all three events in which he competes. -
Jesse Owens, and Minnie Ruth have first child
Minnie Ruth gives birth to their first child, Gloria. -
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Jesse Owens Finishes First in 75 of 79 races
Owens finishes first in 75 of the 79 competitions he enters. He breaks the long-jump record at the state interscholastic finals. -
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Jesse Owens competes in National Championship
At the National Championship in Chicago, Owens wins the long jump, sets a new world record in the 220-yard dash and ties the world record in the 100-yard dash. -
Jesse Owens Graduates From East Tech
In his senior year at East Tech, Owens is voted as student body president as is made squad captain of the track team. He graduates on May 20, 1933. -
Jesse Owens Enrolls at Ohio State
Owens enrolls in The Ohio State University. -
Jesse Owens Sets World Record
Owens sets world records in the 220-yard dash, 220-yard low hurdles and the long jump in less than one hour at the Big Ten Finals in Ann Arbor, Michigan. -
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Owens Wins Big Ten Championship
Owens is now being trained by Larry Snyder, the track coach at Ohio State. They work to improve his technique. He wins 3 out of 4 events at the Big Ten Conference in February of 1935, and then goes on to tie one world record and break five others at the Big Ten Championships in May -
Jesse Owens Gets Married
Jesse Owens and Minnie Ruth Solomon get married. -
Owens Finishes Last Quater before Olympicds
Owens finishes his last quarter at Ohio State before the Olympics. -
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Jesse Owens Goes to Olympic Tryout
Owens participates in the Olympic tryout finals in New York, winning all three of his events (100m, 200m, and long jump). -
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Jesse Owens goes to the Olympics
Owens wins four gold medals in the Olympic Games. He sets new world records in the 200 meter race (20.7 seconds), long jump (26 feet, 5 ¼ inches), and 400 meter relay (39.8 seconds), while tying the world record for 100 meter dash (10.3 seconds). -
Owens competes in the Olympic games in Berlin, Germany.
Much to the dismay of Hitler, who wants to prove that the German race is better than everyone else, Owens becomes a popular and respected athlete at the games. He wins gold medals for the 100-meter race, the broad jump, the 200-meter race, and the 400-meter relay. -
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Jesse Owens is Permanently Suspended
The American Athletic Union (AAU) makes the winning athletes travel through Europe to help raise money. Tired from all the hard work, Owens leaves for the U.S. early. This angers the AAU. He can no longer compete in any amateur competition, including college events. -
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Owens finds ways to make money
Trying to use his new celebrity status, Owens hires an agent who finds a variety of events that Owens can compete in to make money. He gives talks, attends banquets, runs in mock races, etc. He continues these ventures for the next several years. Owens enjoys keeping himself busy. -
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Jesse and Minnie Owens have second child together
Ruth and Jesse’s second child, Beverly, is born -
Jesse and Minnie Ruth Have Third Child
Ruth and Jesse’s third child, Marlene, is born -
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War Time Jobs
World War II begins and Owens is asked to set up exercise programs for African American youths for the Civil Defense Office. He is later hired by the Ford Motor Company as a personnel director to the black employees. He stays at Ford until the end of the war. -
Jesse Owens Placed on Academic Probation.
Owens returns to OSU but he is soon placed on academic probation. -
Owens Withdraws from School
Owens withdraws from Ohio State University -
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Owens is Oppinted of a New Title
Owens is appointed the Director of National Fitness by the U.S. Office of Civilian Defense. -
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Jesse Owens Gets a Job At Ford
Ford Motor Co. hires Owens as Assistant Personnel Director of African-American workers. He is then promoted to director, then later works in public relations. -
Jesse Owens is Made the Best Track Athlete of the Half-Century
The Associated Press names Owens the greatest track athlete of the past half-century -
Jesse Owens, Daughter Gloria Graduates
Gloria, Owens’ eldest daughter, graduates from OSU. -
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Jesse Owens Travels to Asia
Owens travels to India, Philippines, and Malaysia to lead running clinics, but also to promote the economic and political freedoms of the United States. -
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Jesse Owens Attends the Summer Olympics
Owens and several other former U.S. Olympic champions attend the 1956 Summer Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia, as personal representatives of U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower. -
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Jesse Owens Becomes A Coach
Owens becomes the training and running coach during spring training for the New York Mets baseball team. -
Jesse Owens Gets Honorary Degree
OSU awards Owens with an honorary doctorate of athletic arts "for his unparalleled skill and ability" as an athlete and for "his personification of sportsmanship ideals." -
Jesse Owens Book is Released
Owens’ memoir, Blackthink: My Life as Black Man and White Man, is published -
Jesse Gets in Hall of Fame
Owens is inducted into the U.S. Track and Field Hall of Fame. -
Jesse Owens Gets Presidental Medal of Freedom
President Gerald Ford presents Owens with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor given by the U.S. government -
Jesse Owens Dies
Owen, a lifetime smoker dies from Lung cancer. He was 66 years old when he died -
Jesse Owens Memioral is Dedicated
The Jesse Owens Memorial Plaza is dedicated outside of Ohio Stadium. -
"The Jesse Owens Story" makes it's debut
The Jesse Owens Story" debuts on television with actor Dorian Harewood playing Owens. -
Jesse Owens Park is Dedicated
Jesse Owens Park is Dedicated in Oakville, Alabama -
Minnie Ruth Dies
Ruth Owens dies at the age of 86. -
Ohio State Unviersity Discusses if Jesse Owens Should Have a Statue
At a hearing held at OSU, state lawmakers hear testimony on why Owens should be chosen for a statue to be placed in the Nation Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol. -
Ohio State Reveals Jesse Owens Statue
An 8-foot black granite statue was unveiled in April of 2011, next to the Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium off Fred Taylor Drive at the edge of Ohio State’s athletic facilities.
