There are many key skills that everyone should have, regardless of their age, race, or where they grew up. Having them can be the difference between life and death in extreme scenarios. One of them is, without a doubt, knowing how to swim.
Too many people end up passing away each year because they never learned how to swim. Unfortunately, Black individuals, especially children, seem to be among the most frequent groups to drown. Many Black children grow up in underfunded communities, or in families that don’t have the time or resources for swim lessons. Over recent years, swim education has become more widely accessible in schools and public fitness centers, but there are still an alarmingly high number of Black individuals who don’t learn how to swim, especially when compared to White individuals and people of other races.
This article will hopefully increase awareness of how important it is for Black people to be able to swim, as well as the countless benefits that swimming can provide, no matter who you are.
Let’s take a look at some statistics and see just how much of a disparity there is in terms of Black and White people drowning over the past few years.
Stats
Indeed, Black men and women are statistically more likely to end up drowning at some point compared to White individuals and other races.
According to one study, the fatal unintentional drowning rate for African Americans across all ages was 1.3 times that of white people between 2000 and 2007, and this rate hasn’t improved a whole lot since then. This is a startling statistic and goes to show that Black individuals are less likely to have access to the same luxuries and opportunities that white individuals have, especially when it comes to pools and swim lessons.
Even more unnerving is this stat, which claims that Black children aged 10 to 14 are 7.6 times more likely to drown compared to white children, especially in public pools. This number should not be this high!
There has been some progress in the past few years, however. In 2017, the USA Swimming Foundation announced a 5-10 percent improvement in overall swimming ability from previous findings in 2010, per studies done by the University of Memphis and University of Nevada-Las Vegas. These same studies also showed, though, that both African-American children and their parents are 3x more fearful of drowning than Caucasian children and parents, and that there was a 78% chance of African-American children having little to no swimming ability if their parents also had none, an 11% increase compared to white families.
The lack of swimming ability among Black individuals can be intergenerational, which is why it’s crucial for the entire Black community to have access to free swim education programs and pools. A survey done by Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago showed that just 46% of Black and 47% of Latine children have had swimming lessons, compared to 72% of white children.
There has been progress towards making swim education more widely available, though there is still much to be done to reduce the drowning rate disparities that have been affecting the Black community for so long. The CDC says that “implementing and evaluating community-based interventions, including those promoting basic swimming and water safety skills, among disproportionately affected racial/ethnic groups could help reduce drowning disparities”.
Beyond reducing the rate of Black drowning fatalities, swimming has a plethora of health benefits that can greatly improve anyone’s quality of life.
Benefits of Swimming
Swimming has a wide range of full-body benefits that would serve anyone well, especially Black people. It’s one of the best sports to undertake, however old you are.
To start, swimming is one of the most effective exercises for those with joint pain. Per the CDC, “People with rheumatoid arthritis have shown more health improvements after participating in hydrotherapy (exercising in warm water) than with other activities. Water-based exercise can also improve the use of affected joints and decrease pain from osteoarthritis.” Older Black people with joint pain can greatly benefit from swimming because it is a low-impact resistance exercise – it doesn’t place excessive strain on the joints like running or biking.
It’s also great for reducing blood pressure and overall stress levels. Swimming helps your lungs become stronger and more efficient at using oxygen, while also strengthening your heart, per Everyday Health. Black individuals with high blood pressure or hypertension, as well as other cardiovascular health issues, may find that going for a swim can improve their health over time.
Plus, according to The Asthma Center at Mass General Brigham, it’s also great for those with asthma. Swimming is, in fact, viewed as one of the best exercises for asthma patients, since the moisture from the pool water replaces the moisture that you expel while breathing heavily. This, in turn, can take a lot of pressure off your lungs, improve lung capacity, and make it easier to breathe as you swim. Not everyone may experience the same effects, though, so be sure to talk to a doctor before starting a swimming routine if you have asthma.
If you’re looking to lose weight, then swimming is one of the safest and most effective ways to do it, depending on how long you swim and how intense your workout is. Again, since it is a full-body exercise, you have to use your arms, legs, back, core, shoulders, and glutes to properly propel yourself through the water.
This is especially helpful for Black individuals, since they have among the highest rates of obesity in recent years, per a 2023 study: “Among individuals aged ≥20 years in 2017‐2018, prevalence rates for obesity were highest in African American people (49.6%) compared with other racial groups (e.g., non‐Hispanic White, 42.2%)”.
Black families with kids may also want to consider introducing their children to the world of swimming for its various social and emotional benefits. Swimming World Magazine claims that children and teenagers can greatly improve their social skills and teamwork capabilities through swimming. Competitive swimmers that practice every day with a team and participate in meets usually also learn how to set goals for themselves, and stay motivated to achieve them even when things are tough.
This can really benefit Black children and teens who do not get as much support from their families, teachers, or their communities as they need, especially those in underfunded neighborhoods. They have to teach themselves how to work well with others and fight through adversity to earn what they want in life.
Finally, it’s one of the few exercises that fully detaches you from the outside world, and lets you escape from your troubles. Swimming is one of the few exercises where you can’t be distracted constantly by your phone and social media, per Women’s Health Magazine, so the only thing you can really focus on is your workout, and how your body feels moving through the water. This could be extremely helpful for Black children or teenagers who wish to get away from school and personal issues, as well as some older adults who want to unwind, especially if they live in a poorer or more stressful area.
Conclusion
Overall, swimming is a safe, smart, and effective skill and exercise, one that everyone in the Black community should feel comfortable with. Although it can be incredibly disheartening to see some of the statistics around the drowning rates of Black individuals, there are still plenty of great resources that are being developed for the Black community to help people learn how to swim.
The health benefits that swimming provides are endless, and it’s one of the best ways to grow physically, mentally, and emotionally. As the years go on, we will hopefully continue to see a rapid decrease in Black drowning rates, and a substantial growth in the number of Black professional swimmers, both in America and throughout the world.
