BBC - Why don't black Americans swim

BBC - Why don't black Americans swim

www.bbc.co.uk

A month ago, six African-American teenagers drowned in a single incident in Louisiana, prompting soul-searching about why so many young black Americans can't swim.

The fatal drowning rate of African-American children aged five-14 is three times that of white children.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Of people who drown, the fatal drowning rate of African-American children aged five-14 is three times that of white children. I had never thought about this before. I guess I always assumed everyone did swim.
Around here in my home town I see about an equal number of swimmers of both blacks and whites at the YMCA. And yet I did not notice at the time, there were few adult African Americans in the pool. Why is there a discrepancy?

www.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

My guess is because 3 times more black Americans in that age group live in areas that are inner city and far away from swimming sources in compared. Pretty logical if you think about it. You dont learn to swim if you never leave the inner-city or can't afford swimming lessons.

Myself, I was lucky enough to be born in a town on a lake. Plus, its typical here to enroll your children in swimming lessons when they are very young. Again, lucky enough to afford it.

[edit on 3-9-2010 by MrSmith]

I always hear that they couldn't swim because their bones are denser, thus they are less buoyant. However, this is likely a southern stereotypical myth.

I would agree with the poster above. Because they have less access to pools in the inner cities and less access to swimming lessons.

I find this interesting, being that I am black and didn't know how to swim at around that age. Though the funny thing is even after all the swimming lessons I couldn't swim, but it wasn't until I tripped and fell into a pool that I could swim.

Guessing the cost of swimming lessons, not a whole lot of public pools in some areas keep them from swimming perhaps. I would advise going towards a local college campus if they have a pool [like mine] to get some exercise.

reply to post by Aggie Man


A southern stereotypical myth? Are you kidding? My family has been in Texas since the early 1800s

I grew up in Texas, West Texas, and South Texas, and around the border and Ive NEVER heard ANYONE say that.....

I think youre making it up lol

Originally posted by ManBehindTheMask
reply to post by Aggie Man

 

A southern stereotypical myth? Are you kidding? My family has been in Texas since the early 1800s

I grew up in Texas, West Texas, and South Texas, and around the border and Ive NEVER heard ANYONE say that.....

I think youre making it up lol

making it up? you're kidding right? Google it.

ETA:

One of the most unshakable remnants of that history is the myth that black kids simply don’t — and can’t — swim. To this day, parents in some black communities buy into the belief. This incongruous notion is based on a 1969 study called The Negro and Learning to Swim, which said that blacks were biologically less buoyant than whites because of higher density in their bones and body mass.

www.aquaticsintl.com...

[edit on 3-9-2010 by Aggie Man]

reply to post by ManBehindTheMask

I got it off of the BBC. Things are different there, but that doesn't explain why those kids died recently.

Don't take this the wrong way because of the commentary but it actually reminded me of this. From about 1:30min in.
The Eric Moussambani story is one of those more inspirational ones.

Did any of you actually read the article? No. You didnt. It clearly explains and defines the reasons why this happened in our society.

This nation and all its younger generations need to let go of the idea that races need to be different than each other. Things like this would not happen. The older generation is promoting racism in their children on all sides. If it stops then racial divides like this will stop.

Please, for God's sake, read the article before posting.

I remember thinking it was strange that the American Olympic team never had any Black swimmers as long a go as the 60ts, looking at the link it sounds strange, but when you think of it, in public swimming pools over in the UK an Ireland the black kids are always in the shallow end an there are hardley any adult blacks swimming from end to end, just an observation!

reply to post by MrSmith


Ding Ding Ding

Someone got it right.

Originally posted by Aggie Man
I always hear that they couldn't swim because their bones are denser, thus they are less buoyant. However, this is likely a southern stereotypical myth.

I would agree with the poster above. Because they have less access to pools in the inner cities and less access to swimming lessons.

Way to deny ignorance by propagating a myth with the old, "Well i heard..." This is not mentioned in the article anywhere.

Originally posted by dbloch7986

This nation and all its younger generations need to let go of the idea that races need to be different than each other. Things like this would not happen. The older generation is promoting racism in their children on all sides. If it stops then racial divides like this will stop.

Please, for God's sake, read the article before posting.

Thank you my friend, this is a big problem on ATS, posting by the seat of your pants so to speak, it is obvious many don't read opening posts just the headline which can be deceiving..

[edit on 3-9-2010 by Aquarius1]

Originally posted by MrSmith
My guess is because 3 times more black Americans in that age group live in areas that are inner city and far away from swimming sources in compared. Pretty logical if you think about it. You dont learn to swim if you never leave the inner-city or can't afford swimming lessons.

Myself, I was lucky enough to be born in a town on a lake. Plus, its typical here to enroll your children in swimming lessons when they are very young. Again, lucky enough to afford it.

[edit on 3-9-2010 by MrSmith]

If you had read the article you would see this is only partially true.

Originally posted by TheOneElectric
reply to post by MrSmith

 

Ding Ding Ding

Someone got it right.

Ding ding dong.

You didnt read the article either.

reply to post by DCDAVECLARKE


Amazing - you need to visit my part of London - the pools are full of black kids who beat my lane times consistently

but then again we do have a kids swim free programme and a brand new pool

Originally posted by DCDAVECLARKE
I remember thinking it was strange that the American Olympic team never had any Black swimmers as long a go as the 60ts, looking at the link it sounds strange, but when you think of it, in public swimming pools over in the UK an Ireland the black kids are always in the shallow end an there are hardley any adult blacks swimming from end to end, just an observation!

Oh my word! Just an observation?

Observe the article attached and read the much more macroscopic observations mentioned therein. It answers your curiosity.

reply to post by Starbug3MY
This is insane, what was the colour of their eyes? Robbo said that if you dyed hair chin bright red and your side burns radiant green then they couldn't tell where you were swimming from - green being reptilian from the inner core

Originally posted by dbloch7986

Originally posted by TheOneElectric
reply to post by MrSmith

 

Ding Ding Ding

Someone got it right.

Ding ding dong.

You didnt read the article either.

dbloch7986,

Do you have anything of value to add to this thread? Or do you find it necessary to call all of us out for not reading the article? Do you have an opinion on this subject? Would you care to summarize the article? Or are you just playing "thread police" today?

Quit being such a Richard