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Hidden History: Jesse Owens Museum in Alabama stands as monument to overcoming adversity

OAKVILLE, Ala. (WIAT) — Jesse Owens’ accomplishments were monumental in the 20th Century, but the impact that this Alabama native had on the sporting world is still felt today, decades after his death. 

The Owens property in Oakville, Alabama played host to the childhoods of one of the most famous athletes in the world.  The famed track and field star earned four gold medals in the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin.

The rolling, windy hills of Lawrence County made for a difficult early life for Owens, but on the same piece of land now sits a museum, named in his honor. It’s a place where Alabama’s hidden history sits off the beaten path. 

Dedicated in 1996, the museum displays the history of Owens’s life for all to see. The museum attracts thousands of visitors every year, many not realizing he was born right here in Alabama.