American Experience

Gr 8 Up—One of the standard hallmarks of any Olympic year is to look back at other significant moments in past games. Included in virtually every retrospective is a review of the 1936 Berlin games in which African-American Jesse Owens won an unprecedented four gold medals in track and field in the midst of the particularly racist and religiously bigoted society of Nazi Germany. Narrated by actor Andre Braugher and using a rich collection of vintage film footage and still photographs along with expert commentary by historians, other participants in the 1936 games, and observations by Owens's daughters, the producers have crafted a valuable retrospective of one of the highlights of the past century. Owens's youth in gritty and racially segregated Cleveland and his phenomenally successful college athletic experience which led to his selection to the Olympic team are juxtaposed with the mixed reception he encountered when returning home to a country with its own racial divide. The film acquaints viewers with Adolf Hitler's role in the 1936 Olympics, Nazi racism, the racism and discrimination in the United States at that time, and the fleeting nature of fame. English subtitles and chapter selection are options. The film will be a popular addition to media centers and useful for both individual research and in diverse classroom settings.—Dwain Thomas, formerly Lake Park High School, Roselle, IL