Jesse Owens was an Olympic star who achieved fame in the 1936 Berlin Olympics. He won four gold medals in track and field, setting three world records and tying a fourth. He was the first African American to win a gold medal in an individual event. His success was a major blow to Adolf Hitler's plans of Aryan supremacy. Owens' achievements were a source of pride for African Americans and a symbol of hope for those fighting against racial discrimination.