A Surprising Barrier Between African Americans and Swimming

Black Kids Swim PSA with Martiza McClendon

For a while now, swimming and water-safety experts have been concerned with disparities in swimming proficiency among minorities. Last year, USA Swimming Foundation reported that 64.2% of African American adults said they could not swim or characterized their skill as low. This compares with 39.7% of white people. Even more troubling: Among the black adults who said they can’t swim or can barely swim, 78% assigned their children with the same skill level, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that black children drown at 5.5 times the rate of other children. These indicators suggest that this unfortunate legacy may continue another generation.

While plenty of deep-seated and historical factors contribute to these disparities, some see a practical one at work in the modern age: Swim cap design.