Background:
- Born in Oakville, Alabama, in 1913
- Son of a sharecropper and grandson of a slave
- Lived in a three roomed log cabin
- Seventh out of eight children
- Moved to Clevland, Ohio from Oakville, Alabama when he was nine years old
- He got his nickname from his teacher. He said his name was J.C. because everyone called him that, but with his southern drawl, his teacher mistook his name for Jesse. This name stuck.
- His coach asked him to join the track team in seventh grade.
- Later on, in high school, he set a few school and national records.
- He went to Ohio State for college.
- This is the era when Hitler was in control.
- Hitler only liked Aryans (people with blonde hair and blue eyes).
- He wanted to prove that they are superior to all other races.
- As an African American athlete, he won four gold medals in the Olympics.
