July 24, 2014
A 2010 study commissioned by the USA Swimming Foundation and conducted by the University of Memphis found that nearly 70 percent of African American children and nearly 60 percent of Hispanic children have low or no swim ability, compared to 40 percent of white Americans, putting them at risk for drowning.
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Swimming Lessons for Children and Adults
African Americans are oftentimes stereotyped as bad swimmers, or even worse, non-swimmers. The sometimes joked about depiction is related to African Americans' fear of swimming or to the fact that some African American women prefer not to get their hair wet. But it is not a joke that a 2010 study commissioned by the USA Swimming Foundation and conducted by the University of Memphis, found that nearly 70 percent of African American children and nearly 60 percent of Hispanic children have low or no swim ability, compared to 40 percent of white Americans, putting them at risk for drowning.