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Tiny unincorporated Oakville (Pop. 113) in Lawrence County has given the world one thing of note. But, what it did give us may never be forgotten. It was the hometown of the son of a sharecropper; a manual laborer and humble farm kid who would go on to become the most dominating track and field athlete of all-time, if not the most famous: Jesse Owens was born here in 1913.
After being born and spending his first decade in North Alabama, Owens’ family moved to Cleveland, Ohio. In 1933 in Chicago, Owens would attract the world’s attention at the High School National Championships when he equaled the world record in the 100-yard dash (9.