Why I Ran

Location

28212
United States
35° 11' 43.1304" N, 80° 44' 56.9616" W

I ran not from the Klan as they drove through the Deep South
I ran not from the man with his hand in a Nazi salute
I ran not when they told me I had to take my food outside because I was colored
I ran not from the hardships as an Africa-American man
I ran not from the big bad Jim Crow
I ran not because of the blue and red lights behind me

I ran to show others like me that they could run too
I ran so that I could bring together a nation that was split
I ran so that I could have that one chance
I ran so that the world could see my greatness
I ran so that I could show that my people were not inferior
I ran so that people could remember my name

I am Jesse Owens

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