Question

Why did the achievements of Jesse Owens and Joe Louis shake up both the Nazis in Germany and racist whites in the U.S.? Select the best answer from the choices provided. A. They showed that the Harlem Renaissance was an international movement. B. They challenged beliefs in both pseudo-scientific racism and in Aryan superiority. C. They became good friends despite the color barrier between them. D. Their successes resulted in anti-immigration laws keeping Germans from coming to the U.S.

Answer 1

Answer:

The correct answer is B. Jesse Owens and Joe Louis challenged beliefs in both pseudo-scientific racism and in Aryan superiority.

Explanation:

Jesse Owens and Joe Louis were two African-American athletes who had extraordinary sports careers, characterized by their exits against German athletes before the start of World War II.

Thus, Jesse Owens triumphed at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, against white German runners and against the top leaders of the Nazi regime, including Adolf Hitler; while boxer Joe Louis beat German Max Schmeling in 1938, retaining world heavyweight titles in the most important fight of the decade.

In both cases, they were African-American athletes who triumphed over representatives of the so-called "German Aryan race", which was considered superior by the Nazi regime. Therefore, these triumphs demystified that situation of supposed superiority.