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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: Jack Jackson on 3/30/2007 3:37PM
I think it depends on where you grow up. I came from a small town in New Jersey. Back in the 1950's we were not allowed to use the public swiming pools, so we swam in rivers and lakes. The older guys always looked after us, so we all started to swim at a very young age. Most of us went to summer camp and swam each and every day. Kids from Philly and NYC came to this camp and they were all excellent swimers. The learned in the rivers of their cities. Most black schools had no pools, so we had no swim teams, however, most of us could swim. I never heard that black people didn't swim until later on in my life. It is one big stupid myth! Think about it? People from the islands swim, just as people on the coast (East, West & South) of Africa swim and fish. For the most part - black people are no different than any other people, and we do most of the things others do. It is the year 2007, time to stop listening to a bunch of stupid lies!
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By: Kat on 3/28/2007 12:59PM
Really, some of you all take this stuff far too seriously. OF COURSE black people can swim. I am a caucasian woman who raised a young black male to a fully functional adulthood. Not only can he swim (since the age of 2), but he can do laundry, sew and cook....and not just 'Soul food'. I am now raising my 3 young African American grandchildren, and they can swim as well. They wear their hair braided and carry lotion in their beach bags; not to ward off ignorant people of other races who may laugh or stare in shock, but because they know how to care for themselves.
That being said, may I also include, for all you haters who are going to come back with some comments about my raising my grandchildren: My son is not an absent parent because he's dealing drugs or incarcerated....he died defending this country, and didn't care what his hair looked like while he did it. *wink*
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By: Swimkingpat on 3/28/2007 5:46PM
Excellent post Kat!!!!!!!!!!!! I could'nt agree with you more. A totally poignant response from someone using their head for more than a hat rack or a beautican's playground!!!
^^^5
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By: Swimkingpat on 3/28/2007 7:51PM
*Beautician's*
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By: maureen on 3/28/2007 7:46PM
I don't know where they get their statistics from about more black kids drown than whites. In everything they always paint blacks the worst. And to think everything they know was learnt or stolen from blacks.
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By: Que on 3/28/2007 10:24PM
I am a Black woman.. I was on the high school swim team, in Harlem, a lifeguard for 13 years, and currently coach a team. Everything said was so true! As for braids and all that other stuff, it does not matter..Our hair will still dry out and break off. Being bald, not by choice is not cute.
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By: Kat on 3/29/2007 1:00AM
Beautician's playground....that's cute !!!! Thanks for the response, Swimking, much appreciated.
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By: A. Glenn Brady on 4/05/2007 3:42PM
Swimming is an excellent sport and means of relaxation. Many African-American children never have the experience to learn how to swim, consequently as they get older, there is a fear of water and the challenge to learn is more difficult. My wife and I made sure our children learn how to swim as toddlers and to get them over any fear. Our most memorable vacations as a family have been at the beach and at the pool. Not only for safety reasons, I hope this movie and the attention given to it will encourage more African-Americans to learn how to swim.
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By: sista on 5/16/2007 8:26PM
my brother was on the swim team at freemont high while he attended junior high and they beat the team that went to the olympics that year and was invited to the AA league bit could not go NO suport.As for me i swam against my brother as a child. that made me confident in the water and made it a must for my kids both swim like fish we get are hair braided for the summer to get our swim on. But i still deal with that B.S. (black folks don't swim crap) I want go deep sea fishing and i can't get my family to go they say girl all that water no way LOL
Sista
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By: pantherddd34 on 4/02/2007 7:23PM
THIS IS NOT FUNNY!!!! MY STEP-SON (WHO IS FROM JAMAICA) SAID IT'S TRUE BLACKS CAN'T SWIM!!!! I WAS SPEACHLESS!!!!! I TOLD HIM THAT'S A BLACK LIE....WE JUST DON'T HAVE POOLS IN OUR HOOD LIKE THE SUBURBS...AND PLEASE REFRAIN FROM REPEATING THE STEREOTYPES
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