This is it. Has nothing to do with economics, body fat or access. Urban pools, in many areas, are exclusively black, they having driven every other race out through sexual assaults on women and girls and general violence, criminality and mayhem. Swimming, like education, is a "White" thing and, hence, frowned upon and avoided. Also, it takes discipline, effort and focus. Othe "White" things to be avoided. My Father taught my brother, 5 years old and me, at 4, to swim. He took us out, in a canoe, to the middle of a lake, threw us in and paddled back to shore. We learned to swim and made it back. Getting out of the burlap sack was the hard part!😁😉
Good thing you had your pocket knives on you...
Your dad sounds like a total jerk.