A fascinating story about the African Americans who participated in the games. The author does mention Jessie Owens but really gives a voice to the athletes that sometimes have gotten forgotten over time or like myself I had never really heard of. Like the older brother of Jackie Robinson who came in second to him or the American sweep in the high jump of all African Americans. John Woodruff was one of the youngest competitors. There were boxers, a rower, a weightlifter, and of course track and field. I found this book and the stories to be very enlightening for sure. A very good book.

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I really loved getting to read the history of these men, you really only hear briefly about them but it was nice to read about them. Overall this was really well researched and I enjoyed reading this.

It is truly inspiring and beyond serendipity the way these athletes coalesced to dominate the 1936 Olympics. The authors piece together a plethora of trivia about these athletes and even though Jesse Owen is among them they wisely focus primarily on the others. I was particularly captivated by the female track and field athletes, which seldom get the accolades they deserve. My major criticism with the book is it appears to be slapped together like a last-minute book report. In today’s publishing world the editor should have thrown it on the floor and said polish, polish, polish.

Recommended for athletes and coaches.

This book is a great addition to the documentary. While the documentary could only briefly touch on each black athlete that participated in the 1936 Berlin Olympics, this book goes into greater detail, with even more insight provided by family members and historians. An important read to understand a devastating time in history, while highlighting the achievements of some of our countries greatest athletes of the 1930s. A definite read for anyone interested in the history of American sports and athletics, but also just an amazing look at some of the lesser known members of the 1936 US Olympic team and their accomplishments.

Most people know about the story of Jesse Owens and his winning four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics held in Berlin during the height of the Nazi party's hold over Germany. However, Owens was not the only African-American athlete who won medals or competed in those Olympics. The stories of what was accomplished by the other 18 African American athletes are told in this very good book by Deborah Riley Draper and Travis Thrasher.

While there isn't extensive information available on every one of these athletes, some of the stories tell of an incredible tale of perseverance and competition. The three athletes whose stories are shared in the most detail – Louise Stokes, Tidye Pickett and Ralph Metcalfe – take different paths but all of them, along with the others, share a common theme. They not only had to wonder what would become of them in Berlin, but also had to fight off prejudice in their home country as well. A good example of this is the writing about how one of the most prolific white female athletes of the era, Babe Didrikson. She did not care for Stokes, Pickett or any of the other African American athletes, and one of them, Jean Shiley, shares this observation in the book.

The most incredible of these stories belongs to Stokes and Pickett who had qualified to run in the 1932 Games, held in Los Angeles. Due to a last minute "technicality", they were not allowed to compete in the Games, instead having to watch white teammates compete. Metcalfe won a gold medal in the 1936 Games in the 4x100 relay (along with Owens), but he too got this spot by a questionable decision – two American Jewish runners were told the day before the race that they would not compete and Metcalfe was one of the replacement runners. Both of this are examples of the prejudicial practices these athletes encounter in American and the authors present these in a manner that is easy to read as well as informative.

All of the other African-American athletes are chronicled as well, but not quite as much as the three mentioned above. Nonetheless, that doesn't diminish their accomplishments and the authors give them as much credit for this if not as much text in the book. This book is one that is well worth the time to read and learn about the hardships and accomplishments of these athletes who are often overlooked in the annals of Olympics history.

I wish to thank Atria Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

When it comes to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Jesse Owens was the black athlete who got the most attention. In Olympic Pride, American Prejudice, filmmaker Deborah Riley Draper and writer Travis Thrasher tell the story of the seventeen other black athletes who competed on the American team alongside Owens. Consider it Hidden Figures, only with stopwatches, medals, and blistering speed. The authors weave the lives and hardships of these individuals together, culminating in a story that has them wondering whether to boycott representing a country that has treated them as second-class in another country that was grappling with similar hatreds. Ultimately they decide to compete and show the world what they can do as teammates. Owens may have won four trophies, but the rest won ten more, and this story brings that little-known fact to light. It's an inspiring tale, told against a backdrop of Jim Crow, The Great Migration, The Great Depression, and the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Germany, and it's written in a way that would appeal as much to YA readers as it would to all manner of history buffs.

I love Olympic games history but had never heard of this story before and found it incredibly interesting, I can't wait to read more on this subject

This book left me in tears as I read the stories of African American athletes; I did not know competed at the 1936 Berlin Olympics because the main person we know about is Jesse Owens.

I am so happy the authors wrote this book that gives the reader the background and challenges of the 17 “lesser” known athletes who won 10 medals. We always knew about Jesse Owens 4 gold medals, so it is wonderful to learn of these courageous athletes also.

Filled with the backdrop of that historical event, this book is a must to add to your black history library. Young adults or anyone interested in sports will enjoy this read. Very well written, and I highly recommend it.

The good: Many people are familiar with Jesse Owens's historic records at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. However, there were 18 other African-American athletes who overcame enormous obstacles in order to make Team USA and compete at the Olympics. Their stories are fascinating and unforgettable. This is written in present tense, which may or may not annoy some readers (I didn't mind.)

The bad: Absolutely no research notes, indices, or any citations of interviews, books, articles, or other reference materials consulted. The authors ascribe internal thoughts to the athletes (and minor specific actions) that, unless the athletes mentioned those exact thoughts, are likely creative licenses. Unfortunately, there's no way of knowing. A real shame. I was so looking forward to this book, but am dismayed at the lack of any back matter that is routine for nonfiction. The summary says "drawing on over five years of research"--is the ARC just missing it (I primarily read nonfiction ARCs, and I regularly see the back matter).

Many thanks to Atria Books and Netgalley for a digital review copy in exchange for an honest review.