Community Fun Then and Now: The Roots of Black-Led Outdoor Recreation
(📸: Canva)
Part 1: Swimming and Water Recreation
The United States has a long history with racism that continues to evolve and surface in different ways. Stereotypes that emerged about Black Americans after the end of the Civil War persist, reimagined to fit a contemporary setting. One common stereotype still circulating in mainstream culture is that Black people don't or can't swim. Between a history of segregated city pools and beaches and the piling on of generational trauma, swimming has been a complicated subject and an out-of-reach pastime for many Black Americans.
The Root of Water Access Issues for Black Americans
(📸: Petercov Denis)
Pervasive notions about Black people being "dirty" or "diseased" were guiding tenets of public space segregation. During the 1920s and 1930s, when public pools flourished throughout the country, these harmfully misguided ideas influenced the segregation laws of public pools and beaches. To keep Black folks out of the water, some white people went so far as to put nails at the bottom of public pools or pour bleach and acid in the water. Additionally, public pools were not typically built in or near black neighborhoods, making water-based recreation even more out of reach.
Like pools, beaches were also segregated in much of the early 20th century. Black people were typically denied access to public beaches, and the few places that did allow Black beachgoers were often very remote, polluted, and hazardous areas. Methods for keeping minorities off of beaches ranged from implied to explicit.
In the South, many places outright barred Black people from stepping foot on any public beaches. In the Northeast, predominantly white suburbs designated public beaches for residents only, or charged expensive beach access fees and would not allow non-residents to park along the shore. While guidelines varied, the impact was the same: Black people and other minorities could not access public beaches.
Due to these barriers, many Black people at the time grew up without safe water access, leading to lower rates of water safety and swimming ability. While the Civil Rights Act desegregated public spaces on paper, it took a while for this law to go into practice. It didn't eliminate attempts to deter Black people from utilizing these spaces either. Intimidation strategies continued to keep Black folks away from pools and beaches. As a result of this systemic racism and continuous access issues, many Black Americans just never learned how to swim.
Ongoing racial injustice only helped to perpetuate the lack of access to swim lessons and enforced stereotypes, which has had a lasting impact on Black communities across the country. As a result, swimming never became a significant part of Black Americans' recreation and sports culture; a norm that was passed down from one generation to the next.
Many Organizations are Working to Change the Status Quo
(📸: Petercov Denis)
Many individuals and organizations have worked to address these inequalities, leading to decreased drowning and higher rates of water competence for Black Americans. Olympic swimmers like Cullen Jones and Simone Manuel are also changing the face of competitive swimming and helping to reduce stereotypes. City planners are also working to provide adequate access to public swimming spaces in Black neighborhoods.
One group focused on changing the narrative is Evolutionary Aquatics, based out of Charlotte, North Carolina. Originally founded in 2014 as the Mahogany Mermaids, the organization aims to dispel negative connotations surrounding Black Americans in the pool. In 2021, the organization was awarded a USMS Adult Learn to Swim grant to boost its services in the community, funding the Adult learn to swim program. With matching funds, Evolutionary Aquatics was formed. Their mission is to combat the lies and narratives that have surrounded Black people for generations.
The organization is one of few swim clubs that provides complete training from adult-learn-to-swim and traditional masters to triathletes and Ironmen, and is the driving force behind the formation of other Black swim clubs in the country.
“We believe everyone must know the strong Black and African-American aquatic history before and after 1619. We expose the white-originated myths that were created for what they are..lies to shame and belittle us for “not being as good as whites” as well as a way for them to save face for their hateful and murderous actions against us,” noted Nadine Ford, a staff member at Evolutionary Aquatics.
Evolutionary Aquatics and its staff serve as historians, educators, and mentors to their community. By suggesting readings on aquatic history and providing resources, they remind people of who they are, where they came from, and what their ancestors accomplished. In their classes, they focus on the benefits of a positive mindset while steering club members away from using negative and conditional language when facing challenges.
“Evolutionary Aquatics reminds us that water played an important role in our lives when we were victims of human trafficking. It defines our spirituality through the Orisha Oshun. It calms us by telling us to “lay our troubles by the riverside” and to “wade in the water.” It empowers us to know that Tice Davids escaped human trafficking by jumping into and swimming down the Ohio River, the original Underground Railroad. And in the age of cries over the “Little Mermaid,” we find beauty in ourselves through the river maidens, Mami Wata, Mamba Muntu, and many others,” said Nadine.
As the social tide changes and more Black folks are exposed to swimming and other aquatic activities, Evolutionary Aquatics’ “each one, teach one” principle and partnerships with other organizations will allow club members to go as far as they would like with water sports and recreation. By owning their truth and empowering others to do the same, they are changing the status quo of the aquatic world.
“People are enjoying the water in ways they could only imagine, and rediscovering their strength. People are aware of the social injustices and politics that surround Black swim and are working on positive historical corrections.”
In New York City, Black People Will Swim’s mission is simple: to smash the stereotype that Black people don’t swim. Through their “F.A.C.E” foundational pillars of fun, awareness, community, and education, they are reducing barriers and increasing water literacy for Black people. They operate at the crux of these pillars to ensure both education and enjoyment, fostering new passionate swimmers.
CEO and Founder Paulana Lamonier nurtured her love for swimming, became inspired to teach others how to conquer their fear of water, and has been in aquatic communities for over a decade.
“What is sad is that people truly believe that the past doesn’t have a trickle-down effect on today’s current events…Our goal and role at BPWS is to simply educate people on learning this lifestyle and why it wasn’t accessible to us over 50 years ago. Our goal isn’t to cause a division, but to educate and simply a call to action to the aquatic space that we need more swimmers of color,” said Paulana.
In only their second year of business, Black People Will Swim taught nearly 100 people how to swim in the summer of 2022 and 60 during their first year. The demand for their services is present, and they will continue to increase these numbers. This indicates a changing tide and the potential for a new influx of swimmers in all areas of the aquatic community. These changes bring new hope for the future of swimming and water recreation in the U.S.
What Does the Future Look Like for Water Recreation and Sports?
Currently, the statistics on water competency for Black Americans are jarring. Still, Black People Will Swim hopes to challenge those numbers with their efforts in providing resources, representation, and thoroughly funded ventures. “I hope that there are more swim coaches, swimmers, and swim teams of color in the aquatics industry. Most importantly, more people of color—specifically Black people—learning how to swim,” said Paulana.
Black People Will Swim and Evolutionary Aquatics are impacting their communities and breaking down barriers. Together, they are two pieces to the larger puzzle of helping Black Americans get into the water. Through their work, they are helping people reach new heights, push their boundaries, and flourish in a way that was nearly impossible for previous generations. In turn, their work benefits everyone.
“People want a safe space where they are being encouraged to learn how to swim, conquer their fears, and can authentically be themselves. That is what we’re doing at BPWS. And, the beauty about it is that there are a ton of other organizations doing the same work we’re doing. So, we’re not alone in this fight at all.”