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UC Merced Professor Challenges Myths Around African-Americans and Swimming

KVPR | By Kathleen Schock
Published February 14, 2020 at 11:30 AM PST
UC Merced
UC Merced professor Kevin Dawson (second from left) receives the Harriet Tubman Prize for his book "Undercurrents of Power: Aquatic Culture in the African Diaspora" on Oct. 10, 2019

The stereotype that black people do not swim is pervasive, despite the rich aquatic culture that enslaved West Africans brought to the colonies. FM89's Kathleen Schock spoke with UC Merced history professor Kevin Dawson about that largely forgotten history, and the intersection of swimming, race and power in America.

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Kathleen Schock
Kathleen Schock is the host of Valley Edition. In the show, Kathleen and the Valley Public Radio news team explore issues that matter to the residents of Central California through engaging conversations and in-depth reporting.
See stories by Kathleen Schock
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