Crossing Sidelines, Crossing Cultures

Crossing Sidelines, Crossing Cultures crosses disciplines in order to examine an unexplored facet of American racial and ethnic experiences-Asian Pacific American participation in sports. Joel S. Franks examines the experiences of famous and not so famous Asian Pacific American athletes from the late 1800s to the present. Through the stories of athletes such as swimmer Duke Kahanamoku and figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi, Franks demonstrates how Asian Pacific Americans have overcome discrimination and stereotypes to cross the cultural barriers that separate them from other American racial and ethnic groups. This book reveals how the struggles that Asian Pacific Americans face in their desire to assert their cultural citizenship are often expressed through sports.