Liberti and Smith explore the discourses and representations surrounding the African-American track star Wilma Rudolph. The introduction highlights the popular frame of a “fairy tale” story in which the polio-disabled child rises within a decade to Olympian fame, and discusses the problem of trying to provide any objective biography, arguing it’s impossible even when presenting incontrovertible facts due to the unavoidability of fact selection. Seven chapters present different perspectives on Rudolph’s life and career, discussing the issues of race and gender, Cold War tensions around the time she won her first medal, the civil rights movement, autobiography and nostalgia, and commemorations in public spaces. A substantial notes section provides sentence-specific references and some additional commentary. Annotation ©2015 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)