![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/americanhistory\/files\/2025\/11\/cornelius-Johnson-image-245x300.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Justin Jeske-Word Press<\/span><\/span> Justin Jeske-Word Press\u00a0\u00a0 In the summer of 1936, the entire world had their eyes on Berlin, where Nazi Germany was determined to\u00a0show\u00a0their country as not just a global power, but\u00a0their racial superiority through the 1936 Olympic games.\u00a0Despite\u00a0all\u00a0the racism, fascism, and\u00a0propaganda, African American athletes from the US showed up and dominated. One of the most powerful […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5864,"featured_media":2876,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"project_category":[10],"project_tag":[729,730,731,169],"class_list":["post-2765","project","type-project","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","project_category-1930-1940","project_tag-729","project_tag-berlinolympics","project_tag-johnson","project_tag-ww2"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/americanhistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project\/2765","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/americanhistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/americanhistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/project"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/americanhistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5864"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/americanhistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2765"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/americanhistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project\/2765\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2878,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/americanhistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project\/2765\/revisions\/2878"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/americanhistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2876"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/americanhistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2765"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"project_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/americanhistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project_category?post=2765"},{"taxonomy":"project_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.shu.edu\/americanhistory\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/project_tag?post=2765"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span> In the summer of 1936, the entire world had their eyes on Berlin, where Nazi Germany was determined to<\/span>\u00a0show\u00a0<\/span>their country as not just a global power, but\u00a0<\/span>their racial superiority through the 1936 Olympic games.\u00a0<\/span>Despite<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>all<\/span>\u00a0the racism, fascism, and\u00a0<\/span>propaganda, African American athletes from the US showed up and dominated. One of t<\/span>he most powerful moments from the Olympic games is captured\u00a0<\/span>in the\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Untitled Photo of Cornelius Johnson at the Olympics,\u00a0<\/span><\/span>preserved in the Farm Security Administration office of War Information Photograph Collection at the library of Congress.\u00a0<\/span>In this photograph, we see Johnson soaring over the high jump bar with ease, before securing the gold medal for the United States. This is photo is so much more than a man doing the<\/span>\u00a0high jump, this photo is a visual remembrance of the racial pride that African American athletes\u00a0<\/span>had while competing under such circumstances, being\u00a0<\/span>amid a regime that was being built on pure hatred<\/span><\/span>1<\/span><\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span> It\u00a0<\/span>wasn’t<\/span>\u00a0just Cornelius Johnson<\/span>: Jesse Owens, Dave Albritton were other black athletes that competed during the 1936 Olympic games.\u00a0<\/span>Just their representation carried such a symbolic meaning. Both Germany and the United States had their struggles with racism. The Germans were building their Nazi regime, while the United St<\/span>ates had its Jim Crow laws that allowed racial segregation.\u00a0<\/span>Historian Sayuri Guthrie-Shimizu says that that\u00a0<\/span>\u201cBetween 1933 and 1936, however, U.S citizens of all political stripes and religious persuasions debated intensely the wisdom of sending U.S ath<\/span>letes to the games that would be hosted by a regime sworn to racist\u00a0<\/span>ideology<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/span>2<\/span><\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0Johnsons triumph on German soil this resonated far beyond sports, it was the embodiment of\u00a0<\/span>perseverance<\/span>, and a symbol of American strength while still having to endure racism when he got back home to the states<\/span>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span> The photos created by the Farm Security Administration (FSA) are equally powerful. The FSA during the 1930s documented American life during the Great Depression and was there to humanize less fortunate\u00a0<\/span>communities.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>3<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>The 1930s was a very dark time for everyone, you had the Great Depression era, along\u00a0<\/span>with<\/span>\u00a0the Nazi regime growing. In addition to that, you still had segregation in the United State<\/span>s.\u00a0<\/span>For Germany, Hitler used the Olympics to promote his Aryan superiority ideology and so that it can recognized on a world stage. On the ot<\/span>her hand, in the United States black Americans like Johnson faced segregation, and racial violence under Jim Crow.\u00a0<\/span>This is ironic because you have Black Athletes\u00a0<\/span>representing<\/span>\u00a0their country, and their country does not even like them. His success really emphasized the irony America had when putting\u00a0<\/span>Black athletes to\u00a0<\/span>represent<\/span>\u00a0them in the\u00a0<\/span>Olympics<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0By capturing a Black athlete in a moment of power, the photograph both documents and challenges the racial ideologies that were in place during the 1930s, symbolizing a chance at hope, and a better\u00a0<\/span>future\u00a0<\/span>for African Americans.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span> Diving deeper into the meaning of this photo, we see Johnson soaring over the high beam with power,\u00a0<\/span>confidence,<\/span>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>determination.<\/span>\u00a0This photo captures the idea of rising above the barrier of limitations that were put in place by racism for both Germany and America. His concentration in the picture\u00a0<\/span>represents<\/span>\u00a0his inner strength<\/span>, which was essential if you were a Black man\u00a0<\/span>representing<\/span>\u00a0America during the 1936 Olympics in Germany.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span> The broader historical context shows how defiant this moment really was. Hitlers famously\u00a0<\/span>didn’t<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>shake hands with Johnson after winning gold.<\/span>\u00a0As historian John Gleaves explains<\/span>\u00a0that after being snubbed by Hitler, \u201cJohnson,\u00a0<\/span>Albritton<\/span>\u00a0and Thurber appear to have performed the Bellamy Salute which was an act of American patriotism that predated the Nazi,\u00a0<\/span>Fascist, and Olympic Salutes by about 30 years.\u201d<\/span><\/span>4<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>By the African Americans refusing to do the Nazi salute, it was\u00a0<\/span>an<\/span>\u00a0act of patriotism which\u00a0<\/span>transformed<\/span>\u00a0a sporting event into a powerful message heard aro<\/span>und the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span> For African Americans in 1936,\u00a0<\/span>Johnson’s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>victory was a huge source of pride.<\/span>\u00a0His success completely combatted white supremacists from both Germany and America. Through the photo’s composition and historical setting<\/span>, it embodies how African Americans\u00a0<\/span>established<\/span>\u00a0themselves as being a part of America. The FSA photographers captured more than just\u00a0<\/span>a man in motion, but an advancing stride in the right direction for Black citizens in America.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>Works cited:\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>Historical source:\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Untitled photo shows: Cornelius Johnson, winner of the gold medal at\u00a0<\/span>theOlympics<\/span>, in a high jump<\/span><\/span>.,<\/span>\u00a01936. Photograph.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/item\/2017767777\/<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>
\n<\/span>
<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>Footnotes:\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>1.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>\u201cUntitled photo shows: Cornelius Johnson, winner of the gold medal at the Olympics, in a high jump,\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Farm Security Administration \u2013 Office of War Information Photograph Collection<\/span><\/span>, Library of Congress,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>https:\/\/www.loc.gov\/item\/2017767777\/<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>2. Sayuri Guthrie-Shimizu, \u201c<\/span><\/span>The United States and the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games<\/span><\/span>,\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Japanese Journal of American Studies<\/span><\/span>\u00a020 (2009): 68,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>https:\/\/www.jaas.gr.jp\/jjas\/pdf\/2009\/05_067-087.pdf<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>3.\u00a0<\/span>Museum of Modern Art. \u201cFarm Security Administration (FSA).\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/span>MoMA \u2013 Collection \/ Terms<\/span><\/span>. Accessed October 29, 2025.\u00a0<\/span><\/span>https:\/\/www.moma.org\/collection\/terms\/farm-security-administration-fsa#:~:text=Established%20by%20President%20Franklin%20D,the%20lives%20of%20African%20Americans<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>4.\u00a0<\/span>Gleaves, John. \u201cJohnson, Albritton, and Thurber\u2019s Patriotic and Defiant Bellamy Salute in Response to Hitler\u2019s Snub at Berlin in 1936.\u201d The Sport Journal, Vol. 24 (September 22, 2015). Accessed October 22, 2025\u00a0<\/span><\/span>https:\/\/thesportjournal.org\/article\/johnson-albritton-and-thurbers-patriotic-and-defiant-bellamy-salute-in-response-to-hitlers-snub-at-berlin-in-1936\/<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0<\/span>
<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"