Cornelius Cooper Johnson

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Cornelius Cooper Johnson (August 28, 1913 – February 15, 1946) was an African-American athlete in the high jump.

Born in Los Angeles in 1913, Cornelius ("Corny") Johnson first competed in organized track and field events at Berendo Junior High School. He achieved greater athletic success as a student at Los Angeles High School, competing in the sprint and in the high jump.

At the Los Angeles Olympics in 1932, Johnson, who was then an 18 year old high school student, placed fourth in the high jump under the existing tiebreaker rules. Had the current rules been in force, he would have won the silver medal.

In 1936 Johnson was one of 19 African Americans at the Berlin Olympics, where he won the gold. Johnson's winning height of 2.03m was an Olympic record and he tried unsuccessfully for the world record.

It was Johnson - not Jesse Owens as is widely believed - who was snubbed by Adolf Hitler at the Berlin Games. On the day of Johnson's triumph, Hitler had congratulated the winners of the day's first two events, a German and a Finn. But before Johnson and silver medalist Dave Albritton (another African American), went to the podium, the Nazi leader left the arena, although a spokesman later stated the exit was pre-scheduled.

Johnson was the co-holder of the world record for the high jump for the year 1936-37 and won eight career U.S. titles (five outdoor, three indoor).

After retiring from the high jump, he became a letter carrier for the U.S. Post Office in Los Angeles, and in 1945 he joined the U.S. Merchant Marine.

In 1946, while working as a ship's baker on board the Grace Line's "Santa Cruz," Johnson developed bronchial pneumonia. Enroute from the ship to a California hospital, Corny Johnson died, aged only 32.

Cornelius Johnson was inducted into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1994.