- Directed by
- Greenspan, Bud, American, 1926 - 2010
- Written by
- Greenspan, Bud, American, 1926 - 2010
- Produced by
- Greenspan, Bud, American, 1926 - 2010
- Narrated by
- Owens, Jesse, American, 1913 - 1980
- Owned by
- D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
- Date
- 1964
- Medium
- acetate film
- Dimensions
- Duration (Reel 1): 27 Minutes
- Length (Film): 975 Feet
- Duration (Reel 2): 25 Minutes
- Length (Film): 925 Feet
- Caption
- This film was a part of the Washington D.C. Public Library's circulating 16mm film collection housed at the Martin Luther King Jr. Central Library. The collection is particularly noted for the wide variety of African American and African diaspora content.
- Description
- A documentary film with the title Jesse Owens Returns to Berlin. It consists of two reels of black-and-white 16mm acetate film with optical sound.
- The documentary opens with aerial footage taken over the city of Berlin with the sound of a helicopter humming in the background. As the helicopter flies over Olympiastadion Berlin, the narrator, Jesse Owens, comments that it was not bombed during WWII. After discussing the global geopolitical climate in 1936, Owens begins to describe his experience participating in the games.
- The rest of the documentary consists of archival footage of the 1936 Olympics, such as the Olympic torch relay; the opening ceremony; several shots of Adolf Hitler at the games; footage of some of the events Owens competed in: 100 meters, long jump, 200 meters, and 4 × 100-meter relay; as well as a scene in which Owens converses with the son of fellow long jumper Luz Long.
- In the final scene, Owens can be seen in a motorcade in New York City, in the voiceover narration, he reports that a bag containing $10, 000 was thrown into his car by an anonymous donor.
- Place used
- Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
- Place filmed
- Germany, Europe
- New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
- Collection title
- DC Public Library Film Collection
- Classification
- Time-based Media - Moving Images
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Object number
- 2017.55.57.1ab
- Restrictions & Rights
- Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.




