Black families push past barriers to save lives through swimming and water safety

By D. Kevin McNeir
Special to the AFRO
kmcneir@afro.com

From conversations at the dinner table to somber thoughts shared before bedtime, the tragic July 20 death of Malcolm-Jamal Warner, who starred on “The Cosby Show,” has African-American families speaking candidly about the disproportionate number of Blacks youth who die each year from drowning. 

Data released by the University of Maryland, Baltimore, which factors in research from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization, indicates that drowning is the number one cause of death for children aged 1-4 in the United States, and the second leading cause of unintentional injury death for children aged 5-14.  

But Martin Thorpe II, owner and head coach and director of Baltimore’s oldest Black-owned swimming organization, the 4M Swim Club, said the situation is even more grave for African-American children. 

“When I speak to parents and youth, I point them to the realities: 64 percent of African-American children have little to no swimming ability, compared to 40 percent of White children, according to a 2017 study by the USA Swimming Foundation and the University of Memphis,” Thorpe said. “Just because you’ve learned to swim, doesn’t mean you have acquired the skills to go out and negotiate ocean waters, which are rougher than the water in a pool and have undercurrents that can suddenly pull you underwater.”

“In the U.S., 10 people drown each day, and among children under 15, only car accidents result in more deaths each year than drowning,” said Thorpe. “Drowning is fast, silent and can happen in as little as 20 to 60 seconds. That’s why my father (Marvin Thorpe Sr.) founded the 4M Swim Club in our backyard in 1972, offering learn-to-swim programs for African Americans.”

Before the younger Thorpe took over, he and his father taught swimming and water safety for 30 years, side-by side – a relationship which only ended with the death of the senior Thorpe in 2004. 

Marvin Sr. says he has taught more than 15,000 students how to swim over his 32-year tenure at the 4M Swim Club. He is also believed to be the person who has taught more Blacks to swim than any other local instructor in Baltimore or even the state of Maryland. 

Turner Bryson crew make swimming a family affair 

Sasha Turner Bryson and her husband, Howard Bryson, live in Towson, Md. But as proud natives of Jamaica, she said they’re both very familiar with the ocean. However, after seeing a good friend – a young man and highly skilled swimmer – die after being swept away by strong ocean currents – she became afraid of getting in the water.

“After starting our family, my husband and I realized that if I was going to overcome my fear and prepare our children so they would be safe in the water, we would need to find a good coach or a good school that offered swimming lessons and emphasized safety techniques,” she said. 

Both of their children have completed several classes at 4M Swim Club as well as Sasha who has taken two classes alongside her son, Nyo, 4. As for her oldest child, 10-year-old Zaria, she has since joined one of the Club’s swim teams.

“Mr. Thorpe and his teachers constantly emphasize essential water safety rules, like never swim alone or don’t swim during a thunderstorm,” she said. “My son reminds us of these and other rules whenever we’re close to water–I like that. 

“Some of the parents and grandparents who bring their children for lessons aren’t great swimmers but they want to know how to help themselves or their children if they’re suddenly in the water and in trouble,” the Maryland mother continued. “Those who have had traumatic experiences in the water must work to overcome what occurred in the past so that if they’re ever thrown into a dangerous situation, they won’t be paralyzed with fear. Our family has learned to respect the water but to not fear it.” 

Disparity in drowning deaths reflect societal factors  

Thorpe agrees with other experts who say Blacks are subject to death by drowning at far greater rates than Whites because of both historical and societal factors. These factors include lack of access to pools and swimming lessons due to segregation and discrimination, lack of resources to afford swimming lessons and pool access, and a potential fear of water and swimming often passed down through generations within families.

“If basketball is your thing, you can grab a ball and go out in the street to play, to have fun and to get better,” Thorpe said. “But finding a pool, and then finding one that’s affordable is a lot harder. You certainly cannot learn how to swim in a bathtub. 

“Just look at the Olympics. Most of the swimmers look alike and they don’t look like you or me. Even if there are free or inexpensive programs in one’s community, in most cities they’re only offered during the summer. But there are 12 months in a year. So, how do you practice and remain constantly exposed if you only have three months in the water each year?” 

For Cynthia Paxton, whose granddaughter, Lisandra Paxton, lives with her in Baltimore, affordability was not the problem she faced. Her challenge was accessibility. 

“When my granddaughter first began to show an interest in swimming, I enrolled her in programs at places like the YMCA because they were affordable and close by,” Paxton said. “But as time went on and I began to recognize how much she loved swimming and how talented she was, I began to search for programs and camps that provided a higher level of instruction and included more time for her to practice in the pool.” 

Paxton said she became aware of the 4M Swim Club by chance after hearing about Thorpe’s successful initiatives during a media report. 

“We lucked up with Mr. Thorpe’s programs – hearing about them that is – because I was not part of a swimming community,” she said. “Fortunately, the pools he uses weren’t far from our home. So, I dug deeper, and I liked what I found.” 

As for her granddaughter, she first began swimming after being enrolled in a program at Coppin State University in 2018. Since then, swimming has become her passion. 

“I swim competitively for 4M where there are other Black youth on the team but at my high school, Mercy High, which is an all-girls, Catholic school, I’m the only Black on the team and often the only Black at our swim meets,” said Lisandra Paxton, 15. “But I’m confident in my abilities, so that doesn’t bother me.”

Lisandra recently completed a Red Cross certification program and in June, she accepted her first position as a lifeguard.

“Sure, it can be stressful because you have to deal with parents and children who sometimes try to ignore the rules, which I have to enforce to keep those who are in the water or who are around the pool safe,” she said. “But to become certified I had to prove myself, including being able to swim 300 yards. So I have the stamina; I know how to protect myself and to help others should they get into trouble in the water. There’s nothing else I’d rather do.”

To find out more about the 4M Swim Club, visit www.4mswim.org.