Skip to main content

Olympic Games Munich 1972 (Olympische Spiele München 1972)

1971-1972
Jacob Lawrence (American, 1917–2000)
Jacob Lawrence was one of a number of artists who were invited to design posters for the 1972 Olympic games in Munich, Germany. He created this image to commemorate the involvement of black athletes in the Olympic games, as track was an area in which these athletes had traditionally excelled. This subject had a particular historical resonance because African American hero Jesse Owens won a record four gold medals in track at the 1936 Olympics held in Berlin, where Hitler had planned to prove the superiority of the German "Aryan" people.

Object Details

We are always open to learning more about our collections and updating the website. Does this record contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? Contact us here.

Please note that this particular artwork might not be on view when you visit. Don’t worry—we have plenty of exhibitions for you to explore.