Duke Kahanamoku was one of the most famous and influential
swimmers of the first half of the 20th century. 100 years later, his name and story are
virtually unknown by those outside of the swimming world. He was one of the first Olympic Athletes of
Color to compete for the United States, and his influence on the sports of
swimming and surfing are still felt in the world today.
Born and raised in Hawaii, he was a native Hawaiian who
spent much of his time in the water – either swimming or surfing. When he was a teenager, a friend who saw him
swimming in the ocean and he and his friends had astonishing times. Completely untrained in formal swimming, Duke
set World Record Breaking times. Duke was invited to try out for the United
States Olympic Team to compete with the best swimmers in the world. But, could a native Hawaiian effectively
compete in a world that wasn’t always welcoming to people of color?
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