Baseball’s Legacy for WWII Japanese Americans Explored In PBS SoCal’s TV Premiere of BASEBALL BEHIND BARBED WIRE Kicking Off Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month in May
Select programming will also be available to stream on PBS.org and the free PBS App. Members of PBS SoCal get extended access with PBS Passport.
Los Angeles, Calif. – April 9, 2025 – PBS SoCal, Southern California’s flagship PBS station, announced today a curated slate of content celebrating Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month. PBS SoCal is dedicated to telling diverse stories highlighting Asian American history throughout the month of May with over 30 programs starting with the Southern California premiere of the new 30-minute documentary BASEBALL BEHIND BARBED WIRE. Illuminating the hardships and resiliency of Japanese Americans incarcerated by the U.S. government during World War II, the film follows Japanese-born but Hawaiian-raised Kenichi Zenimura, a star baseball player in the 1920s who even played an exhibition game with Major League Baseball stars Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth. In 1942 and following Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, Zenimura became one of the tens of thousands of American citizens of Japanese ancestry forced from their homes and into internment camps like the one in Arizona’s Gila River Camp where the sport of baseball became a symbol of hope. The film will air on PBS SoCal on Thurs., May 1 at 7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on PBS SoCal / Sat., May 3 at 9 p.m. and Wed., May 28 at 8 p.m. on PBS SoCal Plus.
Additional new content for the month highlights creative cultural activism from two artist-turned-activists: Disney animator Tyrus Wong and acclaimed photographer Michael Jang. First up is the Mon., May 19 at 10 p.m. on PBS SoCal / Sat., May 24 at 11 p.m. on PBS SoCal Plus debut of the new INDEPENDENT LENS documentary “Who Is Michael Jang?” The award-winning Chinese American photographer Michael Jang spent decades in relative obscurity before using street art tactics to share his hidden archive of photography, including candid celebrity shots and images of Chinese American family life. Then, on Tues., May 27 at 9 p.m. on PBS SoCal, the 90-minute AMERICAN MASTERS program “Tyrus Wong” introduces viewers to theChinese American visual artist who was one of the last artists from the golden age of Disney animation.
Also included in the AAPI Month lineup on Fri., May 16 at 9 p.m. on PBS SoCal / Wed., May 21 at 10 p.m. on PBS SoCal Plus is GREAT PERFORMANCES “Yellow Face,” Tony winner David Henry Hwang’s comedy starring Daniel Dae Kim as an Asian American playwright who protests “yellowface” casting in the musical “Miss Saigon” only to mistakenly cast a white actor as the Asian lead in his own play.
Relevant encore presentations of PBS SoCal’s original Emmy® award-winning arts and culture series ARTBOUND will air in May, which tell the influential stories of Asian American artists who played a pivotal role in shaping both the cultural identity of Southern California and its impact across the country. The month-long broadcast of episodes includes topics ranging from Los Angeles’ burgeoning punk rock scene in the 1970s in “Chinatown Punk Wars” to the cultural influence of both the Asian American pop culture magazine as featured in “Giant Robot: Asian Pop Culture and Beyond” as well as the 58-year history of the longest running ethnic theatre in the United States, as showcased in “East West Players: A Home on Stage.” The 60-minute episodes of ARTBOUND air throughout the month on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on PBS SoCal Plus.
Additional PBS SoCal original content is also featured throughout the month from series including THE MIGRANT KITCHEN and LOST LA, dedicated to a richer and more inclusive Southern California experience, helping residents understand and connect with diverse communities.
All PBS SoCal programs can be found on the free PBS Video App and are available to stream on the PBS SoCal website where digital resources dedicated to informing and educating the community on topics surrounding Asian American history can also be found.
BASEBALL BEHIND BARBED WIRE
Thurs., May 1 at 7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. on PBS SoCal
Sat., May 3 at 9 p.m.
Wed., May 28 at 8 p.m. on PBS SoCal Plus – NEW!
Stripped of their constitutional rights, their homes, businesses and dignity, 120,000 Japanese Americans were forced into dusty desolate camps, surrounded by armed guards and barbed wire. Ironically it was the All-American pastime of baseball that saved their sanity.