Jesse Owens Statue
Where would you find it?

Jesse Owens was one of the greatest athletes of all time. He was born in Alabama and his parents moved the family to Cleveland when Jesse was 9.

His talent was recognized early and it was at Cleveland's East Tech High School where he first became a star. He later attended Ohio State University.

Interesting note: Jessie was christened James Cleveland Owens but on the first day of school in Cleveland a teacher mistook his southern pronunciation of 'J.C." as 'Jesse' and the name stuck.

Jesse Owens statue in Cleveland

Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics and set a world record in 3 of the four events. Even German fans cheered on his remarkable performances.

The plaque on the statue of Jesse Owens understatedly reads, "Jesse Owens, Olympic Champion 1936."

The backgrounds in the photos may give you a clue to the location of the statue.

n 1976 President Gerald Ford awarded Jesse Owens the Medal of Freedom, the highest honor a civilian of the United States can receive. He died on lung cancer at the age of 66 in 1980 and was posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Metal in 1990 by President George H.W. Bush.

With the Cleveland Browns Stadium in the background, you can see that the Jesse Owens statue is located in Huntington Park at West 3rd and Lakeside near the Greater Cleveland Peace Officers Memorial.