Sculpture Information
This piece was carved during the 31st Olympiad in 2016 which was also the 80th anniversary of Jesse Owens winning 4 gold medals at the Olympics in Berlin. In 1936 Hitler lambasted America for having black athletes in the games and stormed out of the stadium as Jesse Owens won the 100m gold medal. On returning to America, even President Roosevelt did not shake Jesse Owens hand, as was the usual practice, due to the colour of his skin. He wasn’t properly recognised until 1976!
The sculpture’s title is taken from the Poem by Maya Angelou, Still I Rise. She describes how she rises above the hardships of life which she and her ancestors experienced in racial suppression and slavery. He inner belief and inner strength helped her to overcome every trial and oppresssion.
