jackie robinson stood on the shoulders of jesse owens. pantheon of great athletic figures who have contributed to not just black advancement in sport but to black advancement overall. schaap: he is the quintessential olympic hero. he stood up to racists in germany, he stood up to racists at home, and he did it with a grace and a genius that have not been equaled. ♪ ♪ announcer: go to pbs.org/americanexperience for more on "jesse owens." explore video shorts, image galleries, and articles. connect with "american experience" on social media, and watch our films on the pbs video app and at pbs.org/americanexperience. announcer: major funding for "american experience" is provided by: announcer: carlisle companies-- a proud sponsor of "american experience." liberty mutual insurance, a proud sponsor of "american experience." announcer: the power of inquiry, the joy of discovery. the alfred p. sloan foundation, driven by the promise of great ideas. ♪ ♪ announcer: major funding for "jesse owens" is provided by the yawkey foundation. "american exp