Say Something Real
Legacy of Segregation and Jim Crow Still Impacts Black Lives
By Michell Bryant
Michelle Bryant
One of my irritating colleagues frequently challenges me with a question: Must it always come back to slavery? Without saying a word, my non-poker face conveys the answer to his question. Deeply rooted in Black history and the nuanced reality that continues to face African-Americans, the “YES,” comes easily to me.
During a recent reading of The Guardian online publication, I came across an interesting story about a group called Diving with a Purpose (DWP). According to the article, “DWP, led by diving veterans in their 70s and 80s, mentors young divers of color in underwater archaeology. The organization focuses on protecting submerged heritage sites, particularly shipwrecks related to the Atlantic slave trade.” I was absolutely giddy with each line of text that further described the work of this organization.
Holding a degree in African-American Studies, every opportunity to learn more about my ancestors’ experience with the transatlantic slave trade, is welcomed. However, I didn’t just get a history lesson but also an explanation for modern day questions. Let me explain.
While watching the Olympics, a young family member questioned why so few Black people competed in the swimming portion of the games. I wish I had read Omnia Saed’s article before tackling that fairly innocent question. She included the following helpful data: A national study, conducted by the USA Swimming Foundation, estimated that 64% of Black children can’t swim. It’s an alarming statistic that speaks to years of segregation, a lack of public infrastructure and a fraught history with the water.
Saed interviewed the elder founder of DWP, who spoke of Black neighborhoods being devoid of swimming pools and racially restrictive access to the ones that existed. One instructor recounted the following, when asked about learning to dive, “Back in the day they had all kinds of discouraging facts, so-called facts, about Black people and diving,” he says. “You know, your lung capacity was too small, your bone density was too thick, and being able to really comprehend the physics of the sport would be more of a challenge, plus I wouldn’t be able to afford it.”
Further research found that in 2023, nearly 97% of pools in the United States are private (hotels, schools, or home-owned). Most of them opened between 1950 to 1962, during the time of national desegregation. The reality is that most Black communities today, including Milwaukee, still don’t have adequate access to public swimming pools. Whether we are prepared to admit it or not, the legacy of slavery, segregation, and Jim Crow-era policies continue to impact the lives of Black people in this country.