Analysis of Swimming Disparities Across Racial Lines
Honor Pledge: “I pledge on my honor that I have not given or received any unauthorized assistance on this assignment/examination.”
Abstract
There is a massive disparity in swimming between White and Black people in America. The percentage of Black people who can swim is substantially low. Most people attribute the small number to a racial stereotype that considers Black people to be aquaphobic. However, the underlying cause of this disparity is rooted in history. In the 20th Century, between 1920 and 1964, public swimming pools were racially segregated. Black people were not allowed to use them. After racial discrimination was outlawed, there was no significant change. Public officials simply drained and closed down the public pools. The effects of segregation were that most Black people did not learn to swim, and this cycle continued throughout their generations. Currently, most Black people do not know how to swim. They are not well represented in competitive swimming. Further, they are most likely to drown since they do not have skills that would save their lives if they found themselves in a life-threatening position in water. The best approach to change the status quo is to promote social change. This would confront the foundations of the culture and shake th
Analysis of Swimming Disparities Across Racial Lines
Introduction
There is a significant disparity between Caucasians and African Americans in terms of swimming capabilities. The latest empirical research on swimming was conducted in 2017 by the USA Swimming Foundation. It revealed that 64% of African American children do not know how to swim, compared to 40% of Caucasian children (USA Swimming Foundation, 2017). These numbers explain the dominance of Caucasian swimmers in competitive swimming. Further, the Centre for Disease Control reports that African American children are 5.5 times more likely to drown compared to Caucasian children (CDC, 2019). Evidently, the disparity not only affects swimming as a sport, but it also increases the risk of drowning among African Americans. It is easy to dismiss this as a stereotypical fact. However, there is an underlying issue that can be traced back through history. The same history has been replicated in instances where African Americans are discriminated against in public pools. An example is the 2009 incident where a group of camping children was forced to leave a swim club after white parents made racist comments at the pool (CBS, 2009). Instead of resolving the issue, the swim club refunded the camp organizers to prevent them from using the pool. This shows that there is a need to address the racial disparity, firstly, to ensure that African Americans are safe from drowning incidents and, secondly, to prevent racial discrimination.
The disparities evident in swimming are the direct effect of the racial segregation that took place in a large part of the 20th Century. During that time, African Americans were not allowed to use public pools. This prevented black people from learning to swim. There is a direct correlation between parents knowing how to swim and their children learning it (USA Swimming Foundation, 2017). Where parents do not know how to swim, it is unlikely that their children would learn to swim. In the same way, the attitudes that some Caucasians have towards sharing pools with African Americans can also be traced back to their older generation. This paper will analyze the impact that racial segregation had on the current disparities in swimming. It will present a historical perspective, with a focus on the period between 1920 and the 1960s. Further, it will create a nexus between the historical perspective and the current situation. It will then conclude by proposing actions for change.
Historical Account of the Swimming Disparity
- Before 1920: Integration at its Best
Before 1920, pools incorporated all races and allowed them to swim together. In 1898, Philadelphia had nine municipal pools, which attracted interest from the Boston Mayor. He sent a representative, Daniel Kearns, to study the pools. Kearns observed both black and white boys swimming in the pools (Wiltse (a), 2007). This was not alarming. His only concern was that some of the boys were dirty as they jumped into the pools. Prior to 1920, there was no racial segregation in public pools. The only division that existing was along gender lines. Men and women were not allowed to swim together (Wiltse (b), 2014). During this time, African Americans were allowed to swim freely with Caucasians. In fact, at this time, African Americans were better swimmers than the Caucasians (Wiltse (b), 2014). This shows that there were no racial divisions in public baths.
- The 1920s and 1930s: The Swimming Pool Age
Racial segregation began at a later time. During the 1920s and 1930s, there was an increase in the number of public swimming pools built across the country. There was also a shift from segregation along gender lines. The public pools were open to both male and female swimmers (Wiltse (a), 2007). However, this is where the problem of racial segregation sprung up. The gender integration at public pools contributed to racial discrimination. This is because pools were considered to be intimate spaces. Therefore, White men were not comfortable with the idea of African American men swimming with White women (Wiltse (a), 2007). Further, White people had the assumption that Blacks were dirty and would contaminate the water (Waller & Bemiller, 2018). In some areas, segregation was a de facto act, only occurring in practice without reference to specific laws. However, it was a de jure concept, mostly in southern states. The law specifically provided for it. In such places, public officials set apart small and rundown pools for Black people, while White people had access to pools that could even be the size of a football field (Wiltse (b), 2014). Notably, during this period, there was a heightened interest in learning to swim. This means that segregation locked out a majority of black people from having swimming lessons and practice. The federal government made an effort to provide facilities for Black people. It built two pools in Washington, D.C., one in 1928, and the other in 1934 (Wiltse (b), 2014). The pools were built to the standards of White pools. However, this was a rather insignificant provision, considering the number of White pools that were present.
Racial segregation often resulted in violent attacks against African Americans. One such attack occurred on August 6, 1931. There was an uproar at the Highland Park swimming pool in Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh Post Review, 1931. Over 50 Black men attempted to enter the pool at different times in the afternoon. The pool had between 5,000 and 8,000 White people, so the men were clearly a minority. The White swimmers would single out a Black man, surround him and hold his head underwater until he surrendered and agreed not to attempt to use the pool again. There were 15 law enforcement officers standing by, but they did not try to help the men. Lifesavers had to jump in and remove them from the pool. Notably, Pittsburgh did not have laws prohibiting the men from using the pool. If it were so, they would have been arrested by the police. This was an act by White people who had the perception that Black people had no place in their pools.
- Between 1940 and 1970
After World War II, desegregation began to kick in. It started in the North and West, where African Americans held protests, and some courts issued orders (Wiltse (b), 2014). Segregation was still present in the southern states. Ordinarily, one would expect that desegregation meant that African Americans could now use public pools. However, most public pools were closed down instead. For example, in Montgomery, West Virginia, the court issued an order for public officials to allow Black people to access the public pool in 1948 (Wiltse (b), 2014). Instead of complying with the order, the officials drained and closed down the pool. Most municipalities took the same approach, and people moved to private pools. In other areas, the pools were open to Black people, but they could not access them. This is because public officials specifically built pools in White neighborhoods. It was, therefore, difficult for a Black person to walk through the neighborhood without experiencing hostility (Wiltse (b), 2014). In June 1964, Martin Luther King Jr. led a protest in Florida against the owner of a hotel that denied Black people access to the swimming pool. When the protesters jumped into the pool, the hotel owner poured cleaning agents into it to scare them off (Associated Press, 1964). The protesters were violently attacked by the hotel owner and later arrested. In July 1964, Congress passed the Civil Rights Act (Banks, 2013). The act outlawed racial discrimination. There were varied reactions to this law. The Ottawa Citizen reported that violence had erupted in most southern states (Ottawa Citizen, 1964). Black people were even attacked at the Texas beach. By the end of the 1970s, a large number of the public swimming pools were no more. Public officials drained them, and people moved to privately-owned swimming pools.
Impact of the Historical Segregation on the Present Condition
The Black community still feels the effects of the racial segregation that began almost a hundred years ago. Firstly, Black communities do not have equal access to swimming pools and other recreational facilities (Banks, 2013). This has impacted their health, as seen in the obesity rates that are higher among Black people. Secondly, only a small number of African Americans learned to swim within the time period. However, the number is low compared to Whites. Consequently, African Americans did not develop swimming as part of their culture and social activities. They did not include it as a sport that they cultivate and promote within their community. The older generation then passed this disparity from one generation to another (Wiltse (b), 2014). This explains why the current generation of African Americans does not have as many swimmers as the Caucasians do. The disparity is evident in sports, where swimming is a predominantly White sport. Further, the fact that most African Americans do not know how to swim puts them at a higher risk of drowning. They do not have life-saving skills. Banks presents the example of the Red River incident, where a Black teenager while playing in the shallow part of the river, slipped and fell off a ledge (Banks, 2013). Five friends jumped in to rescue him but did not know how to swim. The parents of the teenagers stood at the riverbank, calling for help because they also could not swim. This shows how serious the effects are.
Conclusion
The racial segregation that took place between 1920 and 1964 created a swimming disparity whose impact is still experienced currently. In present times, the roots of segregation have not been completely removed. There are some Caucasians who still believe that pools should not be shared with African Americans. Further, the African American community still lacks an interest in swimming due to the attitudes that have been passed down from the older generations. This affects their ability to live a healthy lifestyle, participate in competitive swimming, and keep safe from drowning incidents. Laws on integration did not change the status quo in 1964. This shows that the issue is deeply ingrained in society. The best approach would, therefore, be advocating for social change. This would involve creating programs where African American people can take swimming classes and enhance their skills. Further, the government should strictly punish individuals who exercise discrimination against minorities at swimming pools.
References
Associated Press. (1964). Black people arrested in pool demonstration in St Augustine, Florida [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxH7tdAI_S4
Banks, T. L. (2013). Still Drowning in Segregation: Limits of Law in Post-Civil Rights America (SSRN Scholarly Paper ID 2337219). Social Science Research Network. https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=2337219
CBS. (2009, July 10). Racism charges at swim club [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WW3PBMhvtc
Center for Disease Control. (2019, February 5). Unintentional drowning: Get the facts. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/water-safety/waterinjuries-factsheet.html
Ottawa Citizen. (1964, July 6). Integration in some states, violence in others. Ottawa Citizen, p. 3.
Pittsburgh Post Review. (1931, August 6). Police unable to prevent Highland Pool race clashes. Pittsburgh Post Review, p. 2.
USA Swimming Foundation. (2017, May 25). USA Swimming Foundation announces 5 10 percent increase in swimming ability among U.S. Children. USA Swimming Foundation Home. https://www.usaswimmingfoundation.org/utility/landing-pages/news/2017/05/25/usa-swimming-foundation-announces-5-10-percent-increase-in-swimming-ability-among-u.s.-children
Waller, S., & Bemiller, J. (2018). Navigating rough waters: Public swimming pools, discrimination, and the law. International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.25035/ijare.11.01.10
Wiltse, J. (2007). Contested waters: A social history of swimming pools in America. University of North Carolina Press.
Wiltse, J. (2014). The Black–white swimming disparity in America. Journal of Sport and Social Issues, 38(4), 366-389. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193723513520553
Banks, T. L. (2013). Still Drowning in Segregation: Limits of Law in Post-Civil Rights America (SSRN Scholarly Paper ID 2337219). Social Science Research Network. https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract=2337219