This short documentary video explores the intersection of sports, politics and race through the story of Jesse Owens, an African American track and field athlete who defied racial barriers and competed in the 1936 summer Olympic Games in Berlin.
What Jesse Owens’s Story Tells Us About Sports and Politics
NFL players have been derided for injecting politics into the country’s favorite sport. But, when convenient, America has also celebrated black athletes for acting as political emissaries.
For teachers
- Lesson plan 1: What Jesse Owens’s Story Tells Us About Sports and Politics – Mini Lesson
- Read transcript
- Producer: Matthew Spolar
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Lesson Plan 1: What Jesse Owens’s Story Tells Us About Sports and Politics – Mini Lesson