 He never received a college scholarship, never stayed in the same hotels as his white teammates, and despite serving as varsity captain of the track team, Jesse Owens was forced to live off of campus. Meanwhile, as the 1936 Berlin Olympics approached, many Americans urged the US to boycott the games. Initially, Owens sided with the boycott, stating in November 1935 that, if there is discrimination against minorities in Germany, then we must withdraw from the Olympics.