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the long jump of 24' 5". Edward Gourdin was a silver medelist 23' 11" and this was perhaps the start of the dominance for the Black United States athlete in the long jump. In no other event has the Black athlete contributed more than he has in this event winning 10 of the last twelve Olympics. Blacks contributed a total of 18 medals; 10 gold, five silver and three bronze. The writer being one of the latter medalists.
Jesse Owens regarded as the greatest track and field Olympian in 1936 established an Olympic record of 26' 5 and a half" which lasted for twenty-four years. At that time, another Black broke his record, Ralph Boston set one of 26' 7 and a half".
The record lasted until Bob Beamon broke this record with a phenominal leap of 29' 2 and a half". which we might never see eclipsed in our lifetime. 
One of the most heralded event in the Olympics is the 100 meter dash to determine the world's fastest human. After Eddie Tobin contributed the first gold medal in 1932 and Ralph Metcalfe won the silver, Jesse Owens won this distinction in 1933 with Ralph Metcalfe again a silver medalist.
The Black American has won this event five time and currently Jim Hines holds the Olympic and World record on 9.9 in the 1968 Olympics. Other who have won this coverted award are Harrison Dillard, 1948, Bob Hayes, 1964.
After Archie Williams started the gold trend in the 400 meters with an Olympic record, this was not duplicated until Charlie Jenkins won in 1956 and then followed by Otis Davis in 1960. Lee Evans in 1968 and the current holder of world and Olympic record of 43.8 and the last to accomplish this was in 1972 when Vince Matthews won. 
There have only been three Black gold medalists in the 800 meters, John Woodruff in 1936 and Mal Whitfield won back to back championships in 1948, 1952 in Olympic record time.
Black Americans have always been weak in middle distances but we can go back to the 1924 Olympics when Earl Johnson won a bronze medal in the 10,000 meter cross country.
The high jump world record has been held by several Blacks but only two have managed to win a gold medal, Cornelius Johnson in 1936 and Charles Dumas in 1956.

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[[top image: two men standing, one holding plaque. woman sitting in front of them.]] [[bottom left image: five men and one woman standing with plaques.]] [[bottom right image: two men and one woman standing and holding plaques.]]