Ok, so I may be beating a dead horse, but this is the issue that just won’t die. There are so many opinions, and I am forming mine as I research the issue. Here’s another go round.

1. financial reasons

I originally dismissed this one out of hand. It’s a stereotype that all blacks are poor, and I’m not going there. But this article approached the issue from a different direction. So much about swimming is about time. You really must put the hours in, and that’s where finances can become an issue. You must pay for all that pool time, and many of the practice and meet hours may conflict with working hours. Add to that issues of one or no car per family, and you have a problem.

2. lack of role models

My research has me leaning toward this as the major factor. Swimming just doesn’t seem like a ‘black thing’ if you can’t find anyone black who’s ever excelled in it. The reason I talk so much about Cullen Jones here is that he’s the dude who’s out there taking names now. We need more people to bust down the doors and keep them open. I think it’s only a matter of time. It helps that Cullen is doing Make a Splash and trading on his celebrity to encourage other black kids to get in the water. Time shall tell.

3. fear of the water

This is the generational factor. ie., My mother was afraid of the water and she told me to stay away from the water, and I’m scared. . . This is a vicious cycle that perpetuates itself. The problem here is that this fear has done nothing to curb the drowning rate. Being afraid of the water is a dangerous stance to take. I think we address this with understanding coaches, and black swim teachers and lifeguards can’t hurt.

4. hair

I was talking to my cousin the other day about my daughter’s plans to go swimming on her Christmas vacation. I had thought it would be an awful lot of trouble for her to get her hair wet while away from home. My cousin lamented that hair would even be an issue. I do too. I quit getting perms so I could pursue swimming. I wore braids and and now get my hair done a couple times a month to accommodate my love of swimming. It is doable, but still a pain. I definitely want to try wrapping my hair in plastic wrap before putting on my cap! I will let you know how it works.

5. history of racism

I didn’t want to go there, but when we have stuff like what happened in Philadelphia this last summer flare up, you know it’s an issue to contend with. I’ve talked about the incident here, and I found this article which also addresses it. Part of our reluctance to swim comes from being denied access to pools. Godfrey Cambridge joked in the 60s that the colored pool and the white pool were just the same, only the colored pool had no water in it, and the diving board was higher. The idea that blacks and whites definitely better not mix in the water has been prevalent in this country for a long time, and the Philadelphia incident shows that it has not died quite yet. I’m not sure, but I think excellence, influence and affluence will address this issue. Excellence like what Cullen Jones and younger swimmers behind him are pursuing. These young swimmers also carry the burden of influence on their backs. Just doing their thing will influence other swimmers to come and join them, not to mention normalize the whole idea of black swimmers. Affluence is something all of us can attain. Make your plan, put your head down, pursue it, and then open your own pools, clubs and resorts. And use good old competition to drive the racist institutions right out of business.