7 Chapter 6 An Olympic Trip

Chapter 6 An Olympic Trip In the summer of 1935, Jesse and Ruth finally married. He was still in school, while she was caring for baby Gloria. In the fall, when the school year began, Jesse struggled

on the track for the first time, losing several key races. Up until now, he had kept his grades high enough to stay in school. But suddenly he was suspended from the track team due to bad grades. He knew the Olympics tryouts would be held that summer. He worked hard in class over the winter and was allowed to return to the team and prepare for the Games. In July 1936, Jesse traveled to New York City for races that would decide who would represent the United States in that year's Summer Olympics. In New York, he won three events: the 100- and 200-meter dashes and the long jump. Another dream had come true: He was an Olympian! The Games would be held in Berlin, Germany, in August.

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As he prepared for the long trip, important events were unfolding in Europe. Adolf Hitler had become Germany's powerful leader. He was head of the National Socialist German Workers' Party, commonly known as the Nazis. Hitler and the Nazis hated anyone who was not "fully German." They hated Jews, handicapped people, homosexuals, and black people. They chased thousands of people out of the country, even those who had been German citizens their entire lives.

The news from Germany frightened many Americans. They believed participating in the 1936 Berlin Olympics would give power to Hitler, and many were disgusted by Nazi ideas. Many called for the United States to boycott. Jesse didn't share Hitler's views, but he was against a boycott. Coach Snyder believed the Olympics were what Jesse had been waiting for. By going to Berlin and winning, Snyder told him, Jesse could show the world how great he was. He could also show Hitler what a black athlete could accomplish.

HITLER AND THE NAZIS IN 1933, THE NATIONAL SOCIALIST GERMAN WORKERS' PARTY CAME TO POWER IN GERMANY. COMMONLY KNOWN AS THE NAZIS, THEY BELIEVED THAT ONLY "PURE" GERMANS DESERVED TO LIVE IN THEIR COUNTRY. THEY PERSECUTED ANYONE THEY BELIEVED DID NOT BELONG, INCLUDING JEWS, CATHOLICS, GYPSIES, HOMOSEXUALS, AND BLACKS. THEIR LEADER WAS ADOLF HITLER. HITLER EVENTUALLY DIRECTED HIS ARMY AND SECRET POLICE TO KILL AS MANY JEWISH PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE, A TRAGIC PLAN TODAY KNOWN AS THE HOLOCAUST. IT WAS HITLER'S GOAL TO EXPAND GERMANY BY INVADING NEIGHBORING COUNTRIES. IN 1939, GERMANY ATTACKED NEARBY NATIONS IN EUROPE, AND WORLD WAR II BEGAN. BY THE TIME GERMANY SURRENDERED IN 1945, HITLER HAD COMMITTED SUICIDE RATHER THAN FACE JUSTICE. THE HORRORS OF THE NAZI REGIME REMAIN ONE OF HISTORY'S DARKEST MOMENTS.