Introduction: A Documentary That Transcends Sport

The documentary "The Express" arrives at a moment when the intersection of athletics and social justice has never been more relevant. By focusing on the life and legacy of Jesse Owens, the film does far more than recount the four gold medals that shattered Nazi propaganda at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. It positions Owens as a quiet but formidable force in the American civil rights movement—a man who used his platform not for personal glory but to challenge the deep-seated racism that persisted in his own country even as he was being celebrated abroad.

Owens' story is one of paradox: a hero who returned from Berlin to a segregated America, denied the same opportunities afforded to white athletes, yet who never wavered in his commitment to equality. "The Express" captures this duality with archival precision and emotional depth, inviting audiences to reconsider the full measure of Owens' contributions—both on the track and off it.

The Historical Context: America in the 1930s

To understand the magnitude of Owens' achievements, one must first grasp the era he inhabited. The 1930s were a decade of economic despair and racial oppression in the United States. The Great Depression had devastated communities across the country, but Black Americans faced even harsher realities: widespread unemployment, lynchings that occurred with impunity, and the daily indignities of Jim Crow segregation. In this landscape, a Black athlete achieving international fame was not just a personal victory—it was a political act.

Owens grew up in Oakville, Alabama, the son of a sharecropper and the grandson of enslaved people. His family moved to Cleveland, Ohio, as part of the Great Migration, seeking better opportunities in the industrial north. Even there, Owens encountered racism—his teachers discouraged him from pursuing athletics, and he was often forced to compete in segregated meets. These early experiences shaped the quiet resilience that would define his career.

Jesse Owens' Olympic Triumphs: A Blow Against Fascism

When Jesse Owens stepped onto the track at Berlin's Olympic Stadium in August 1936, he carried the weight of more than athletic expectation. Adolf Hitler had intended the Games to be a showcase of Aryan supremacy, a theatrical display of racial ideology that would convince the world of Nazi Germany's superiority. Owens' performance turned that narrative on its head with stunning efficiency.

Over the course of eight days, Owens won four gold medals:

  • 100 meters—a world-record-equaling 10.3 seconds that silenced critics who doubted his explosive speed.
  • 200 meters—a blistering 20.7 seconds that demonstrated his versatility and endurance.
  • Long jump—a record-breaking 8.06 meters that came after a tense qualifying round where he nearly failed to advance.
  • 4×100-meter relay—a race that set a world record (39.8 seconds) and saw Owens anchor the American team to victory.

Each victory was a direct rebuttal to Nazi racial theory. Crowds in Berlin, many of whom had been subjected to state-sponsored propaganda, cheered Owens as enthusiastically as any German athlete. The film uses newsreel footage to capture that moment when ideology met reality, and reality won. As Owens later remarked, "Hitler didn't snub me—it was Franklin D. Roosevelt who ignored my achievements."

Indeed, the White House never formally recognized Owens' Olympic performance, a stark reminder that American segregation was alive and well even as Owens was being feted in Europe. "The Express" does not shy away from this tension, using it to frame Owens' later activism.

The Technical Brilliance Behind the Medals

Beyond the symbolic importance, Owens' athletic achievements were technically remarkable. His sprinting technique revolutionized the sport—he ran with a forward lean that minimized air resistance and a high knee lift that maximized power output. Sports scientists have since analyzed his stride pattern, noting that he achieved a cadence that was decades ahead of his time. The documentary includes commentary from track historians who explain how Owens' training methods, though primitive by modern standards, produced results that still stand as benchmarks in the sport.

The long jump event deserves particular attention. Owens' final jump of 8.06 meters broke the world record and stood for 25 years. What makes this achievement more impressive is the context: Owens had never competed on a synthetic track, and the Berlin stadium's cinder surface was far from ideal. He also faced immense psychological pressure, knowing that a poor performance would be used as propaganda by the Nazi regime. The film captures the intensity of that moment through slow-motion footage and expert analysis.

How "The Express" Portrays the Triumph

Rather than simply reenacting races, the documentary employs a layered narrative structure. It interweaves interviews with Olympic historians, civil rights scholars, and members of Owens' family to create a living portrait of the athlete. The film's director, Jon Erwin, has described "The Express" as "a story about what it means to be a champion in the truest sense—not just for a moment, but for a lifetime."

The long jump sequence is particularly powerful. Owens' qualifying struggles are portrayed with visceral tension, and the film reveals how his German rival Luz Long offered advice that helped Owens adjust his technique. Long, a blue-eyed blonde who embodied the Nazi ideal, defied Hitler's racial policies to show solidarity with Owens. The two men became friends, and Long later wrote to Owens from the front lines of World War II, asking him to tell his son about their friendship. "The Express" uses this relationship to underscore a profound truth: human empathy can transcend even the most poisonous ideologies.

The film also emphasizes the public celebration that followed Owens' return to the United States. He received ticker-tape parades in New York and other cities, and Black communities across the country hailed him as a symbol of achievement. Yet the documentary does not sanitize the reality: Owens could not ride in the front of a bus in the South, could not eat at the same lunch counters as white fans, and struggled to find stable employment because of his race. This juxtaposition between global adulation and local humiliation is a central thread in "The Express."

Cinematic Techniques and Storytelling

The documentary uses a mix of archival footage, reenactments, and computer-generated imagery to bring Owens' story to life. The race sequences are shot with multiple camera angles that capture the raw power of Owens' stride. The sound design—the thud of starting blocks, the roar of the crowd, the sharp intake of breath as Owens crosses the finish line—immerses viewers in the experience. Interviews are filmed in muted tones that keep the focus on the subjects' words rather than the setting. "The Express" also incorporates animations of Owens' training routines and racing strategies, making the technical aspects of his performance accessible to casual viewers.

Contributions to the Civil Rights Movement

Jesse Owens' name is often invoked during conversations about sports and social change, but his direct contributions to the civil rights movement are less well known. "The Express" corrects this by detailing his activism both before and after the 1936 Games.

Speaking Truth to Power in the 1930s and 1940s

Even as a young man at Ohio State University, Owens was acutely aware of racial injustice. He lived off campus because he was barred from the university's dormitories, and he worked odd jobs—janitorial work, elevator operation—to support his family while training. The documentary highlights how Owens used his growing platform to demand equal treatment for Black athletes, a stance that placed him in the crosshairs of university administrators and segregationist politicians.

During World War II, Owens toured the country to promote the war effort, selling bonds and speaking to troops. He used these appearances to quietly challenge the hypocrisy of fighting for freedom abroad while denying it at home. The film includes audio of Owens saying, "We are fighting for democracy, but we don't have it ourselves." This period marks a shift in Owens' public persona—he moved from being simply an athlete to a conscious advocate for change.

Post-War Civil Rights Advocacy

In the 1950s and 1960s, Owens became an active supporter of the NAACP and worked alongside leaders like A. Philip Randolph and Roy Wilkins. He participated in marches, spoke at rallies, and wrote op-eds in Black newspapers calling for desegregation. The documentary features interviews with civil rights historians who argue that Owens' celebrity gave him a unique platform to reach white audiences who might have been resistant to more radical voices.

One of the most poignant moments in "The Express" is the recounting of Owens' 1964 speech at the University of California, Berkeley, where he said, "The same hate that killed Medgar Evers is the same hate that kept me out of the White House. It is a hate that we must conquer, not with violence, but with the power of the human spirit." Such moments reveal a man who understood the systemic nature of racism and was willing to name it publicly, even when it meant risking his own reputation.

Owens and the 1968 Olympic Protest

While Tommie Smith and John Carlos are rightly remembered for their raised fists on the 1968 medal podium, the documentary notes that Owens was one of the first athletes to publicly support their gesture. He wrote a letter to Smith and Carlos, which the film recreates: "You have done what I could not do in 1936. You have used the moment to speak for a generation. I am proud of you."

This endorsement was not without controversy; some civil rights activists felt Owens had not been radical enough in his own era. But "The Express" argues that Owens operated within the constraints of his time, and that his steady, dignified activism paved the way for the more confrontational tactics of the late 1960s. The film draws a direct line from Owens to Smith and Carlos, suggesting that social movements build on each generation's contributions.

Beyond Sport: Owens as a Cultural Icon

Jesse Owens' influence extended far beyond the track and the protest line. He became a symbol of possibility for generations of Black Americans who saw in his story a roadmap to dignity and success. "The Express" captures this cultural resonance through a rich collection of archival footage, including Owens' appearances on television shows, his friendships with figures like Joe Louis and Jackie Robinson, and his role as a mentor to young athletes.

Owens and the Rise of Black Athlete Activism

The documentary traces a direct line from Owens to the athlete-activists of today, such as Colin Kaepernick and LeBron James. By showing how Owens navigated the tension between commercial endorsements and social conscience, the film provides a historical context for modern debates about whether athletes should "stick to sports." Owens himself was criticized for accepting lucrative endorsement deals, but the film argues that he used that money and access to fund civil rights organizations and support Black businesses.

For example, Owens partnered with Pepsi-Cola to sponsor youth programs in underserved communities. He also invested in Black-owned enterprises, including a dry-cleaning chain and a real estate firm. The documentary presents these business ventures as extensions of his activism—ways to build economic power within the Black community. This aspect of Owens' legacy is often overlooked, but "The Express" treats it as a critical component of his overall impact.

Owens' Place in American Memory

Despite his achievements, Owens has often been reduced to a single moment: the 1936 Olympics. "The Express" works to restore the full arc of his life, from his childhood in Oakville, Alabama, as the son of a sharecropper, to his death in Tucson, Arizona, in 1980. The director includes newly unearthed letters and home movies that show Owens not only as a champion, but as a father who struggled to provide for his family, a man who battled depression and financial hardship, and yet never stopped believing that America could live up to its ideals.

One particularly moving segment features Owens' daughter, Marlene Owens, discussing her father's later years. She describes him as a man who carried the weight of being a symbol—someone who felt pressure to be perfect even when he was struggling. These intimate details humanize Owens in ways that traditional biographies often fail to do.

The Documentary's Approach to Race and Politics

"The Express" does not pretend that Owens operated in a vacuum. The film explicitly connects his story to the broader civil rights movement, showing how his victories inspired activists and how his struggles mirrored those of millions of Black Americans. Interviews with scholars like Dr. Ibram X. Kendi provide historical context for the racism Owens faced, while family members offer personal perspectives on how Owens dealt with discrimination.

The documentary also addresses the controversial aspects of Owens' life. He was criticized for meeting with Joseph McCarthy and for not speaking out more forcefully against segregation in the 1950s. "The Express" handles these criticisms honestly, presenting them as part of a complex legacy rather than glossing over them. The film argues that Owens' approach—steady, strategic, and often behind the scenes—was appropriate for his time and circumstances, even if it seems cautious by today's standards.

Educational Value and Classroom Use

Since its release, "The Express" has been praised for its historical accuracy and emotional resonance. The National Education Association has recommended the film as a teaching tool for units on the civil rights movement, and multiple school districts have incorporated it into their curricula. The documentary has also been featured at film festivals focused on social justice, including the Urbanworld Film Festival and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Teachers have found the film particularly useful for sparking discussions about race, sports, and activism. The documentary's layered narrative allows educators to address multiple topics: the history of the Olympics, the role of propaganda in Nazi Germany, the realities of Jim Crow segregation, and the evolution of athlete activism. Study guides developed by the film's production team provide discussion questions and primary source documents that deepen students' engagement with the material.

For a deeper understanding of Owens' life and times, viewers can explore external resources such as:

Key Themes and Takeaways from "The Express"

The documentary leaves audiences with several enduring lessons. First, that athletic excellence can be a powerful tool for social change, but it must be paired with courage and moral clarity. Second, that the fight for equality is never finished—each generation must find its own voice and its own expression of protest. And third, that even the most iconic heroes are complex human beings, full of contradictions and vulnerabilities.

"The Express" underscores that Jesse Owens was not perfect. He faced accusations of exploiting his fame, he sometimes avoided the most militant forms of protest, and he struggled with the emotional toll of being a symbol. But the film argues that these imperfections make his story more relatable and more instructive. Owens showed that you don't have to be flawless to be a force for good; you just have to be willing to use what you have—your voice, your platform, your dedication—to push the world a little closer to justice.

Owens' Enduring Legacy in the 21st Century

Decades after his death, Jesse Owens continues to inspire new generations. His name appears in debates about athlete activism, his image is used in campaigns for social justice, and his story is taught in schools around the world. "The Express" argues that Owens' legacy is more relevant now than ever, as athletes increasingly use their platforms to speak out on issues ranging from police brutality to economic inequality.

The documentary draws direct parallels between Owens' era and the present day, noting how Black athletes still face unique pressures and expectations. It also highlights the progress that has been made—such as the establishment of the Jesse Owens Award, given annually by USA Track & Field to the nation's top track athlete—while acknowledging how far society still has to go. This balance of celebration and critique gives the film a sense of urgency that resonates with contemporary audiences.

Conclusion: A Film for Our Times

In an era where the role of athletes in social movements is hotly debated, "The Express" offers both a history lesson and a rallying cry. By celebrating Jesse Owens' Olympic triumphs and civil rights contributions, the documentary reminds us that sports have never been separate from politics, and that the most enduring champions are those who run for something bigger than themselves.

Owens once said, "We all have dreams. In order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort." "The Express" honors that philosophy, giving audiences a powerful, unflinching portrait of a man who turned his dreams into a legacy that still inspires the world. The film serves as a testament to the idea that true greatness is measured not by medals alone, but by the positive impact one has on the lives of others. For anyone seeking to understand the intersection of sports and social justice, "The Express" is an essential viewing experience.