Honoring Jesse Owens: A New Plaque Unveiled at Ann Arbor’s Ferry Field

A New Plaque to Honor Jesse Owens at Ferry Field in Ann Arbor

In recent years, the historic Ferry Field in Ann Arbor has undergone significant renovations, and visitors may have noticed a missing piece of history. The plaque commemorating Jesse Owens’ incredible achievement of breaking four world records in less than 45 minutes was recently removed. However, a new plaque from the International Athletics Foundation will soon take its place, honoring Owens and his remarkable accomplishments.

The new plaque will be unveiled on May 9 at 10 a.m., during a ceremony held at Ferry Field. This event will occur just one day before the 2024 Big Ten Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which took place on May 25, 1935, when Owens was competing for Ohio State University. Despite battling injuries throughout his career, Owens managed to break world records in the 100-yard dash, long jump, 220-yard dash, and low hurdles during these championships.

A year later, Owens went on to win four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. He famously snubbed Hitler by refusing to salute him during the medal ceremony. The original plaque honoring Owens was dedicated in 1985 and stood at the southeast corner of Ferry Field until its removal earlier this year. The new World Athletics Heritage Plaque will now take its place as a tribute to Owens’ historic achievements.

While it is not yet clear who will attend the unveiling ceremony on May 9th, there is hope that members of Owens’ family might be present to pay their respects to this legendary athlete. For more information about this event and other news updates from Michigan schools and Ann Arbor area events, subscribe to our weekly newsletter or check out our local Ann Arbor news page regularly for updates on current happenings in your community.