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I’m skeptical of the body fat explanation. We were a bunch of skinny white kids when I was growing up and learning to swim. I’d be surprised if black kids these days are statistically any leaner than we were. I do remember some of the black kids struggling but it seemed related to a fear of water and a tendency to panic. I think they were acculturated into that fear before they had any experience with trying to swim.

Some people float fairly easily on the surface of the water. Some sink, sometimes well below the surface before reaching equilibrium. I’m like that myself and cannot remember being unable to swim going back to my earliest memories. I always envied people who could just lay back in a pool and float around with no effort. I can only do that in salt water, later in life after accumulating some body fat. The kids who sunk were slender and muscular, a more dense physique. The kids who floated easily had a layer of body fat, not necessarily obese.

I was extra skinny as a kid. I learned to swim well, but I couldn’t float. Sank like a stone whenever I tried to float.

I've seen it first hand. There was a rail thin, but muscular black guy in my Boy Scout troop, no identifiable fat whatsoever. He absolutely sank like a rock. He could tread water but he could not float by filling his lungs and relaxing. He just deep sixed every time.

It was the only time I ever felt good about being fat.

I’m skeptical of the body fat explanation. We were a bunch of skinny white kids when I was growing up and learning to swim. I’d be surprised if black kids these days are statistically any leaner than we were. I do remember some of the black kids struggling but it seemed related to a fear of water and a tendency to panic. I think they were acculturated into that fear before they had any experience with trying to swim.

I agree. I taught swimming for years to supplement college. Further, just look at any great swimmer. They are both lean with far greater upper body development than the average population.

I found mostly a lack of experience and consequently fear as the primary issues in non-swimmers. It takes time and understanding to train people who are fearful of water to be competent swimmers.

I don't see race as an issue, as much as adequate exposure to swimming pools and competent trainers. It is best to begin with a young child rather than unlearning years of fear over water.