Jesse Owens Museum

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Jesse Owens Museum Dedicated in 1996 with the arrival of the Olympic torch, the museum is a tribute to Jesse Owens. The Owens family planted the tree at the park on May 16, 1998.

A single man with a conviction “One chance is all you need,” proved that very thing in the 1936 Olympics - and changed the world. He tore down Hitler’s superior race theory and confirmed that moral character and integrity is what distinguishes one from another, not the color of one’s skin. The Jesse Owens Memorial Park and Museum’s goal is to honor the life and accomplishments of this remarkable man, before and after the Olympics, and to educate the public of the legacy of this Olympic great and his contributions to athletics and humankind. Located in Owens’s birthplace of Oakville, Alabama, JOMP showcases memorials including a museum, bronze statue, mini-theater, 1936 torch replica, birth home replica and an oak tree that was planted as a symbol of Owens’ lost Olympic Gold Medal Tree.

When walking through the homestead, visitors report myriad emotions and thoughts about the state of the house and the ch...
10/04/2026

When walking through the homestead, visitors report myriad emotions and thoughts about the state of the house and the challenges it must have presented for a family like the Owens’.
We encourage this sort of reflection when people visit. One thing we find people end up realizing is “a lot of stuff isn’t here that I have in my house today.”
There were 12 members of the Owens family. Not only is that an uncommonly large household by today’s standards, but the entire shack-like home has only 3 rooms. In a house that size, there were no separate children’s beds. Jesse and his siblings huddled together on a cot. They had no running water or plumbing either. Families back then would use water from wells or nearby streams to bathe and wash clothes.
Recently, a student from a field trip brought up something we had never considered: the family had no closets. Nowhere to store extra clothing. Because… they most likely had no extra clothing. Perhaps a few extra undergarments or work shirts for the father, but what the kids wore was what they would wear most days.
Despite this, Henry and Emma Owens raised 10 children. They provided everything they could, with what they had.

Jesse’s childhood home would look very different than anything we are used to today. The home itself would have been has...
10/03/2026

Jesse’s childhood home would look very different than anything we are used to today. The home itself would have been hastily built, probably changing tenants several times over its life. The floor creaks, and the walls do little to keep out the elements. But for the Owens family, this was home.
Every morning, the family would have cornbread, molasses and bacon at an old rickety table. Canned goods were also very common due to their long shelf-life. The family’s clothes would be ironed with an old-style iron. This iron would be placed in the fire until hot, and run along slightly damp clothing to remove wrinkles.
The family had a “cobbler’s anvil” as well. Back in the day, shoes were a craft. The Owens could not afford to buy new shoes every time shoes became worn down, so they learned the basics of shoe repair. Shoes would be stretched over this device, and the soles would be reattached or burst seams would be resown.
These tools and practices may seem foreign to us today, but they were essential to the life of a sharecropper. Self-sufficiency was the backbone of this lifestyle, and though it may seem inconvenient by modern standards, this all would’ve been exceptionally common more than 100 years ago.

We have told many stories about where it all started for Jesse Owens: that small shack on the edge of a cotton field in ...
10/02/2026

We have told many stories about where it all started for Jesse Owens: that small shack on the edge of a cotton field in rural Alabama. Those harsh and impoverished conditions of a sharecropper lifestyle are the foundation of his story.
At the museum, we take this a step further. A full sharecropper homestead on site allows visitors to immerse themselves in the Alabama that Jesse knew. When visitors take the short walk from the museum’s backdoor and step foot inside a piece of history, the experience and power of this story is brought that much closer to them.
Many may not even expect this exhibit when they plan to visit our museum. Our detailed exhibits and exclusive documentary are certainly a huge draw, but the home itself leaves an impression on people. The emotions that come with seeing this homestead first-hand are something that cannot be forgotten.

Elle recently got to visit the Jesse Owen's Museum and she left absolutely amazed! We pride ourselves on making this edu...
09/15/2026

Elle recently got to visit the Jesse Owen's Museum and she left absolutely amazed! We pride ourselves on making this educational experience thoroughly entertaining.
Inside, Elle got to see how Jesse Owens competed in 1936, and outside she got to try out the long jump for herself and walk through our sharecropper's home!

Gwendolyn Jones and Cassandra Williams saw coverage of our 90th anniversary event on WAFF 48, and decided to come to the...
09/02/2026

Gwendolyn Jones and Cassandra Williams saw coverage of our 90th anniversary event on WAFF 48, and decided to come to the museum themselves to see our new display case. The chance to see tickets to Jesse's events in 1936, an Owens era OSU sweater, and so much more, prompted them to plan a day trip to the Jesse Owens Museum. It's an experience they thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you everyone who came out to the 90th anniversary event! We had a large turnout, great speakers, and commendable ...
09/01/2026

Thank you everyone who came out to the 90th anniversary event! We had a large turnout, great speakers, and commendable sportsmanship in the day's events. You all made an already incredible day that much more meaningful.

Photo courtesy of LCtoday

08/27/2026

ANNOUNCEMENT

The Jesse Owens Museum and Park will open at 12:00 pm on Saturday, August 29, 2026. This later opening time is to help accommodate staff in preparing for the 90th anniversary event, which begins at 1:00 pm. Thank you for your understanding, and we can't wait to see everyone this Saturday!

08/27/2026

90th Anniversary: Event Rules and Regulations

• Registration for all events will begin at 1:30 pm outside of the Jesse Owens Museum. All events are free, but parents or guardians need to register children for awards purposes. Participants will receive a bib, and no child will be able to participate in any event without a bib.
• There will be three events: long jump, 100-meter dash, and 1-mile run.
• Athletic events are for children ages 2-12. All children that participate in all three events will receive a participation award. Parents and adults may not participate in the long jump or 100-meter dash, but an adult may accompany a child in the 1-mile run.
• Participants will be divided into ages 2-6 and 7-12 along with male and female divisions. Gold, silver, and bronze medals will be awarded to winners in each division in each event. An overall award will be presented to 1 boy and 1 girl from all the participants whom the referees feel exhibited the best sportsmanship and competitive spirit throughout all the events.
• The athletic events will be held on a rolling schedule which means as one event ends another event will begin. Please listen for announcements in case the events move quickly and the schedule is moved up.

Intended schedule and locations:

o Long jumps will begin at 2:00 pm at the long jump pit in front of museum.
o 100-meter dash will begin at 2:30 pm on the lawn in between the ballfield and front of the museum. Painted lanes will be used.
o 1-mile run will begin at 3:00 pm on the starting line near the road at the front fence.
• Awards ceremony will take place in front of the museum at the awards podium at 3:30 pm or earlier if events end earlier.
• Questions may be directed to [email protected]

Address

7019 County Road 203
Danville, AL
35619

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 10am - 4pm

Telephone

(256) 974-3636

Website

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