Covered by Cleveland Documenters Carolyn Cooper ( live tweets).
Jesse Owens: Going for gold
During a marathon of a Landmarks Commission meeting, the commission approved designating the home of Jesse Owens–four time Olympic gold medalist–as a Cleveland landmark. Cleveland City Council still needs to approve the landmark designation.
Owens, celebrated for his contributions to track and field and to civil rights, moved to Cleveland with his family when he was nine years old in 1922.
The Owens family lived in a couple of houses before landing in what is now Ward 6 in 1934. This is the house Owens lived in when he competed in the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, becoming the first American track and field athlete to win four gold medals in a single Olympics.
Did you know that Owens’ real name was James Cleveland Owens? Born in Alabama, Owens was nicknamed “J.C.” for short. Rumor has it that after moving to Cleveland, a teacher mistook “J.C.” for “Jesse,” and the rest is history.
African American Cultural Gardens’ Ohio Historical Marker approved
The commission also approved a previously installed Ohio Historical Marker within the African American Cultural Gardens located in Ward 9. The marker celebrates the garden’s designation on the Cleveland Civil Rights Trail and the struggle to get the garden dedicated during the civil rights movement.
The African American Cultural Gardens were erected in 1977 and provide Black Clevelanders a place to celebrate Black pride and culture.
Read more from Documenter Carolyn Cooper:
Read the live-tweet thread from Documenter Daniel McLaughlin:
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