Prometheus 6

Cultural - Well, as a Black woman, how many Black women are willing to give up their processed hair to learn how to swim? There have been huge strides made in Black female haircare over the past 15 years, so that our daughters have options that I know I didn't have. The only reason I learned how to swim was because my father insisted on it, and paid for the lessons at the YMCA. My mother was like ' what about her hair?' and my father put his foot down. Black women and their hair is a cultural reason why a lot of Black females don't know how to swim. I went natural basically because I wanted to partake of an active exercise routine, where I currently exercise 5-6 days a week, and in the beginning, while I was getting into it, the only exercise I did WAS swimming. So, I gave up the processed hair.

Now, historical.

Black folk weren't taught to swim, coming from Africa, because that could be used as a means of escape. Post-slavery, where would Black folks learn how to swim? You had generations of slaves who didn't know how to swim. It's not like they could go to the local swimming pools in the South, which were WHITES ONLY and learn there. In the North, it wasn't much better, because the systematic underfunding of Park Districts in Black neighborhoods is well documented.

This is the shorthand version of my opinion of Why Black People Can't Swim.

There are as many reasons why black people don't swim as there are black people who don't swim. What Rik cites above regarding hair is the reason why my late mother and her sisters did not learn how to swim but that fact did not deter my paternal aunts. My father and his older brother were taught to swim by their father. There were no pools for anybody to use where they lived in rural Louisiana so they learned to swim in the Red River.

I grew up in a western city that had eight or nine municipal pools. One of them was in the park that was immediately adjacent to the housing project where my family lived for about six years. (This park also had stables where we could rent horses and learn to ride.) One of my childhood and adult friends who was black and died a few years ago held the all-city record in his age group for the backstroke. I was also in the Boy Scouts where swimming is a requirement for becoming a First Class Scout.

All three of my children knew how to swim by the time they were five. All of their cousins can swim too.

When somebody types that question into a search engine, they end up here?

Why?

You know, it never occurred to me to check what page they're landing on.

I am a distance ocean swimmer. Meaning I can swim for miles. I don't like swimming pools, but my daughter was water-safe at 3 months, and recently moved to Florida, so she can do it all the time. We surf, too. We are still black.
There is almost nothing better than swimming. Almost.

I have honestly never seen a Black person on a surfboard.

I'm not sure I agree with the premise of the question. It's not that black folks as black don't know how to swim. I think it's that we just don't have the same opportunities to swim professionally/competitively. Natatoriums and swim teams ain't cheap. They're certainly not as cheap as a slab of asfault and large still with a large hole at the top. The swimming we do, cause I've been to many a pool and beach and seen many a black folks swim, isn't done in front of white folks; and, as we all know, if white folk don't see it, it don't happen. And the only black folks white people think are "black" are the ones dependent on public funds.

It could also be our reluctance to swim at the beach. When was the last time you hard of a black person being bitten by a shark? LL Cool J and that movie notwithstanding.

There's the hair issue and historical issue rik mentioned. Personally, I was knocked under by a wave when I was a child and every since, I have a hard time being in a position where my head is under water and my feet can't touch the bottom. But, that has nothing to do with being black. Still, my mom made my brother and me take swimming lessons, which always made me late for basketball camp later that day. So I can do something that resembles swimming.

Or. And this theory is "out there." But it could be one of those things that black folk know ain't really true that white folks just believe cause they have so little contact with black folk. In high school, something was mentioned about the absense of black athletes in winter sports, and a black friend of mine and me, the only two black folks in class, joked that "black folk don't like the cold." And one of the white girls looked like a light bulb went off. She mentioned how she'd been skiing lots of times but had never seen any black people on the mountains. So, anyway, there's that. And then, if a situation ever arises when someone has to jump in unknown waters for some reason, we can always lie and say, "Black people can't swim," because essentially, we ain't jumping our black selves into water not knowing what's in it, and white folks will never be the wiser.

"She mentioned how she'd been skiing lots of times but had never seen any black people on the mountains. So, anyway, there's that."

There are a large number of black folks who ski. I know a black judge in Chicago who is an avid skier and is part of a black social set that goes to Colorado every year to ski and party. There is nothing done under the sun that black folks don't do. I have never seen a black person on a surf board but I am sure that somewhere on this dirt ball somewhere there is a black person trying to hang ten.

I have honestly never seen a Black person on a surfboard.

No? Well, here you go!

Hey, I didn't say black folks don't ski. I was making a joke. I didn't realize she wouldn't get it. I would've corrected the situation but her response left me speechless. I was caught between laughing at the fact that she believed me and being disturbed at the fact that she believed me. Sorry.

You know, pt. If you like these stories I tell about former classmates, you'd LOVE the story of how a friend and me started a "sorority" called Hoochee Phi Heffa in high school and made all the white girls who wanted to join do something "black." We made one girl write a paper in Ebonics. I still have it cause it was hilarious! Another white girl that Reagan was the best president ever so I refused to let her in. She complained about us not letting her in for at least a week, but I was like, "Quit crying, Reaganphile."

No1kstate -

Seems like you had a good time in college. My undergrad schools did not have sororities, fraternities, sports teams or athletic departments. My advisor at the first school was a brilliant mathematician from Korea who once had been recruited by the CIA but turned them down he told me because he considered himself a communist (small "c"). He was quite a character.

Keep your eyes on Cullen Jones during the Olympics.

LOL!!

Quaker:

I would rather have seen Names4things. (I can say that because Mr. Names4things is a) shorter than I, and b) not here right now).

Nevermind!

I will have both eyes on Mr. Jones. Just call me no1kstate-jones.

obstu43: 

There he go. Looks like Hancock though...

Cullen Jones Sets U.S. Record in 50 Freestyle
By KAREN CROUSE

OMAHA — In less than 22 seconds Friday, Cullen Jones dispelled two misconceptions.

The first is that the 50-meter freestyle is devoid of any strategy except getting to the wall first. Jones used to buy into that notion, and so he would stroke so fast he would spin out of control. In his preliminary heat at the United States Olympic trials, Jones kept his stroke long and smooth, throttling back a little but swimming fast enough to set an American record.

Jones, a Bronx native, was timed in 21.59, eclipsing Gary Hall Jr.’s eight-year-old record by .17 seconds. Ben Wildman-Tobriner, the reigning 50 freestyle world champion, clocked a 21.68. Hall was third in 21.89.

After the race, Jones said, “I’ll take an American record.” Between gulps of Gatorade, he said, “I think there’s a lot left in the tank.”

Jones failed to lower the record in the semifinals but won his heat, edging Hall, 21.71 to 21.94. Wildman-Tobriner posted the fastest time of 21.65.

The second misconception is more insidious. It has dogged Jones, 24, since he started swimming at the age of 8. Between being part of a world-record relay in 2006 and finishing third in the 100-meter freestyle at these trials, Jones hopes he has put to rest the notion that African-Americans cannot excel at swimming.

"...I have honestly never seen a Black person on a surfboard."

I was waiting for someone to say:

"...And I've never seen them snowboarding, either!"

So that I could say: "Not true! Not true!"

And give a a cousin of mine some props!

(...He's been a professional snowboarder for somewhere around 10 years or so now!)

Oh well... Even though nobody said it, I'll say it anyway:

"Not true! Not true!"

(PT / P6: I thought you both might be able to appreciate the fact that the guy interviewing him is Sal Masekela, the son of Hugh Masekela!)

Hey, Clone!

Is your cousin single? Hollatchagirl!

can't wait for Beijing.

And, you DO know a Black surfer- Barack Obama !

Yes, he surfs..

LOL

But, outside of them, I know that there have been Black people in Malibu and coastal CA, and some of them have to surf. I just gotta find them.

As for Skiing - the National Brotherhood of Skiiers will hook you up with skiers of color.

LOL!

(...As much as would be my desire not to disappoint, I have to tell true he's been nailed down and off the market for some time now!)

But don't sleep on Shani Davis either:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8Ws70yVWIw

LOL!

Ok, Clone. Thanks.