Black Children and Teens 2.3 Times More Likely to Drown

Six teens drowned near a Louisiana River on Monday, Aug. 2, after a sand trail collapsed and sent them into 20 feet of water. While the teens screamed for help, family members helplessly watched them drown. The problem was that nobody knew how to swim. This is all too common in the African-American community. According to a New York Times blog, "black children and teens ages 5 to 19...are 2.3 times more likely to drown than whites in this age group. For children 10 to 14, the rate is five times higher." Why? They never learned to swim.

A 1969 study called "The Negro and Learning to Swim: The Buoyancy Problem Related to Reported Biological Difference" reported part of the problem was segregation and not being able to go into pools. Pile that on with the history of slavery, phobias about big bodies of water and being brought over in boats, and there's a stereotype that African-Americans can't swim. Examples like Olympic swimmer Eric ''the Eel'' Moussambani prove this isn't always true, but the statistics still show there is a higher amount of African-Americans who cannot swim versus other racial groups. Then there's an issue with Chicago swimming pools in locations like Evergreen Aqua Park closing due to lack of membership. Some people just don't have the money to pay for swimming lessons and membership fees to private pools.

However, certain locations closing don't mean that all adults and children should give up on learning to swim. Like riding a bike, once you learn, you don't forget.

Adult swimming lessons are being taught at Northwestern University from April 2010 to March 2011. The fee is $59 for students and $69 for the public.

Chicago parents can take their children to daycamps and organizations that teach swimming. Here are a few Chicago Park District locations where swimming lessons are available and which ones have indoor lessons.

Abbott
49 E. 95th St. 312-747-6001

Ada
11250 S. Ada St. 312-747-6002

AG School
3857 W. 111th St. 773-535-2877

Altgeld
515 S. Washtenaw Ave. 312-746-5002

Amundsen
5110 N. Damen Ave. 773-534-2425 Closed for the season

Armour Square
3309 S. Shields Ave. 312-747-6012

Austin
5610 W. Lake St. 773-287-7764

Avalon
1215 E. 83rd St. 312-747-7201

Avondale
3516 W. School St. 773-478-1410

Bessemer
8930 S. Muskegon Ave. 312-747-6023

Blackhawk
2318 N. Lavergne Ave. 312-746-4150

Bogan
3939 W. 79th St. 773-535-2242 Closed for the season

California
3843 N. California Ave. 773-478-5408

Carver
939 E. 132nd St. 312-747-6348

Chase
4701 N. Ashland Ave. 312-742-7518

Clark
4615 W. Jackson 773-287-7794

Clemente
2334 W. Division 312-742-7466 Closed for the season

Collins
1313 S. Sacramento 312-745-1312 Closed for the season

Columbus
500 S. Central 773-287-7641

Cornell Square
1809 W. 50th St. 312-747-0287

Curie
4949 S. Archer 773-535-2020 Closed for the season

Davis Square
4430 S. Marshfield 312-745-2308

Douglas
1401 S. Sacramento 773-762-2842

Dvorak
1119 W. Cullerton 312-746-5088

Dyett
513 E. 51st St. 312-745-1211 Closed for the season

Eckhart
1330 W. Chicago 312-746-5553

Englewood
6201 S. Stewart 773-535-3600 Closed for the season

Fernwood
10436 S. Wallace St. 312-747-6164

Fosco
1312 S. Racine Ave. 312-743-0135

Foster
1440 W. 84th St. 312-747-7612

Franklin
4320 W. 15th St. 312-747-7676

Fuller
331 W. 45th St. 312-747-5997

Gage
2411 W. 55th St. 312-747-2899

Gar
100 N. Central Park 312-746-5111

Gill
833 W. Sheridan Rd. 312-742-5807

Gompers
4222 W. Foster 773-685-3305

Grand Crossing
7655 S. Ingleside 312-747-6158

Hale
6258 W. 62nd St. 773-229-1406

Hamilton
513 W. 72nd St. 312-747-7649

Hamlin
3035 N. Hoyne Ave. 312-742-7785

Harris
6200 S. Dre el Blvd. 312-747-2795

Harrison
1824 S. Wood St. 312-746-9490

Hayes
2936 W. 85th St. 312-745-2200

Holstein
2200 N. Oakley 312-742-7554

Homan Square
3517 W. Arthington 312-746-6656

Humboldt
1440 N. Sacramento 312-746-5281

Independence
3945 N. Springfield 773-478-3538

Jefferson
4822 N. Long Ave. 773-685-3347

Juarez
2150 N. Laflin St. 773-534-7052 Closed for the season

Kelly
2725 W. 41st St. 773-535-4908

Kennedy
11320 S. Western 312-747-6198

Kosciuszko
2732 N. Avers 312-742-7556

Lafolette
1333 N. Laramie 773-287-0541

Lindblom
6054 S. Damen 312-747-6443

Madden
3800 S. Rhodes 312-747-3675 Closed for the season

Mann
2949 E. 131st St. 773-646-0265

Mather
5941 N. Richmond 312-742-7501 Closed for the season

McGuane
2901 S. Poplar Ave. 312-747-7463

McKinley
2210 W. Pershing Rd. 312-747-6527

Mt. Greenwood
3721 W. 111th St. 312-747-6564

Nash
1833 E. 71st St. 773-256-0906

Norwood
5801 N. Natoma 773-631-5359

NTA
55 W. Cermak 312-747-2255

Oakdale
965 W. 95th St. 312-745-4834

Ogden
6500 S. Racine Ave. 312-745-3451

Orr
Closed for the season

Palmer
201 E. 111th St. 312-747-6576

Piotrowski
4247 W. 31st St. 312-747-6608

Portage
4100 N. Long 773-685-7189

Portage
4100 N. Long 773-685-4987

Pulaski
1419 W. Blackhawk 312-742-9918

Ridge
9625 S. Longwood Dr. 312-747-0402

Riis
6100 W. Fullerton 312-746-5918

River
5100 N. Francisco 312-742-4466

Robert Taylor
39 W. 47th St. 312-747-6728

Russell Square
3045 E. 83rd St. 312-747-6651

Senn
5900 N. Glenwood 312-742-3208 Closed for the season

Shabbona
6935 W. Addison 773-685-6387

Sheridan
910 S. Aberdeen 312-746-5370

Sherman
1301 W. 52nd St. 312-745-2940

Smith
2526 W. Grand Ave. 312-742-2556

Stanton
618 W. Scott St. 312-742-9553

Sullivan
6631 N. Bosworth 773-535-2000 Closed for the season

Taft
6535 W. Hurlbut 773-534-1000 Closed for the season

Trumbull
2400 E. 105th St. 312-747-6759

Tuley
501 E. 90th St. 312-747-6763

Union
1501 W. Randolph 312-746-5466

Uplift
900 W. Wilson 312-742-7709

Washington
5531 S. King Dr. 773-288-0619

Welles
2333 W. Sunnyside 312-742-7515

Wentworth Gardens
3770 S. Wentworth

Wentworth/Kenn
5625 S. Mobile 312-747-1276 Closed for the season

West Pullman
401 W. 123rd St. 312-747-7340

Whitney Young
210 S. Loomis 312-287-0408 Closed for the season

Wrightwood
2534 N. Greenview 312-742-7816
Additional Notes: This entry was originally published by the Chicago News & Events Examiner.