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Black people can't swim.
Oh, wait -- they can. And a new movie is out to debunk the myth and show you blacks can have a wicked jump shot and an awesome breaststroke too.
'Pride,' now out in theaters, stars Terrence Howard as Jim Ellis, a former competitive swimmer who, after being turned down for a teaching job at a white prep school, starts an African-American swim team in Nicetown -- one of Philadelphia's rough "hold on to your purse and wallet" neighborhoods.
Niiiice.
While I haven't seen the movie yet, I'm sure like any other based on a true story, feel good movie about at-risk youth, the kids in 'Pride' learn to swim, battle racism, believe in themselves, and become champions.
Think of it as '
Yes, Virginia, black people can swim, but here are a few reasons why this black female doesn't:
1. The Hair: Every black woman (and probably ever black man who's ever known a black woman) reading this just went: "You Know!" Water is a black woman's kryptonite. Point blank. Growing up, my white friends would ask "Why are you carrying an umbrella? It's bright and sunny today." True, but as a black woman, you can never be too prepared in the battle against air moisture. Rain clouds can appear any second, leaving you with a nappy mop of hair. So the mere fact swimming entails entering a body of water -- makes it a no-no for me. Becky can easily put her wet hair up and roll. Black women need a blow dryer, a bucket of hair grease, flat iron, a few hours and a prayer.
2. Ashy Skin: A dip in the pool zaps all the moisture out of my skin and I look like I've been rolling in baby powder. Not ... cute.
3. Seriously, review reasons 1-2 again.
4. I always wonder ... who's peeing in the pool? Is it that kid? What about that one over there avoiding eye contact? Perhaps it's that one ...
With that being said, here's why black people SHOULD swim:
1. According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, African-American children are more than twice as likely to drown than white children, due to a lack of involvement/access to swim lessons or water activities. So unless you want your kids to sink like a rock, it's time to hit up that local swimming pool. Plus, swimming is one of the best ways to blast calories and get into tip-top shape. You can burn almost 400 calories/30 minutes doing the breaststroke. (Summer is just around the corner ...)
2. Blacks have already taken over sports we used to be underdogs -- make that nonexistent -- in, such as golf (i.e. "Tiger Woods ya'll, it's all good ya'll") and tennis (i.e. Serena & Venus Williams). You could be the next Michael Jordan of swimming.
3. Isn't reason #1 enough for you? If you like living and breathing, it should be.
More on BV Sports: Blacks and Swimming
Comments: (40)
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By: Jannelle on 3/23/2007 9:49PM
Start teaching girl children at a young age and guess what they will find inventive ways to deal with their hair. Also you can wear many styles of braids that won't effect your hair when you swim, so come on ladies, stop with the excuses, take a tube of lotion with your towel or carry itin your hand to hit those ashy spots, if you feel funny pretend it's suntan lotion and learn to swim. Teach your boys and girls to swim . No more excuses about hair and ash.
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By: karlalake on 3/24/2007 11:41AM
All I can say is, this article was funny and ridiculous. Of course we swim all the time. We know how to braid our hair or relax it. However, why don't we all just not worry about the moisture and wear our hair the way God made it :0)>. Put it into two (or more)braids, a short natural, or some other style that will stay neat in the water and just jump in.
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By: karlalake on 3/24/2007 11:49AM
By the way, I enjoyed this article Cheryl. I love your informative yet conversational style. The Niiice was particularly cute and original. You are correct, swimming can be a vital part of a person's health and well-being.
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By: navynurse on 3/24/2007 12:58PM
...unfortunately, alot of black people did not have access to pools in their community or at their schools...thank goodness a movie like "pride" came out. i've been swimming for 15 years...the hair did not stand in my way...nor would i let it keep me from competing...i say, "stroke on"
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By: Andrea on 3/24/2007 2:45PM
I'm very glad this movie is coming out too, I have a 12yr old boy and a 13yr old girl who love to swim and I must say they are pretty good at. I always thought that was myth...black people can't swim of course we can.
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By: Brenda on 3/25/2007 12:06AM
I am so glad to see a movie about black swimmers. My children swam in a swim league with white kids for four years in the early 80's. We were always the only black people at the swim meets all over Southern California. It was a great experience. It helped to debunk the myth way back then that black kids did not swim. Even though they are in their 30's now, people are still surprised at how well they can swim. Kudos to the movie.
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By: Salene on 3/25/2007 1:19AM
I laughed out loud! :D
But on a serious note that report by the CDC is an eye-opener.
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By: Eli on 3/25/2007 7:08AM
Black kids can learn how to swim, of course. They just have to be "taught' properly, unlike how MY father attempted to "teach" me. He threw me in the deep end, many years ago, and I tried to literally drink all the water in that pool! :).
I "taught' my step-son properly at the "Y". He can swim like a fish and I still can't. I've been "traumatized" :).
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By: Paul B Norton on 4/03/2007 4:29AM
This is the first I heard the myth that blacks couldn't swim. All the black men I served with in the Navy could swim.
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By: Debbie on 3/25/2007 8:07AM
Eli, I feel for you as I had to learn swimming almost the same way. Growing up in the Caribbean, my "deep end" was in the Caribbean Sea with waves and god alone knows what types of sea life (sting-rays, jelly-fish,sharks). All I remember my dad saying, " Don't let your head go below the water, as you will drown for sure".
Debbie
www.DebbieDonovanTravel.com
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