How Swimming Was Used to Justify Enslavement

Black History Year

PushBlack

History, Society & Culture

4.3 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 25 November 2024

⏱️ 3 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Our African ancestors were such tremendous swimmers that Europeans believed Africans were sea creatures. They used Africans’ ability to swim to dehumanize them. _____________ 2-Minute Black History is produced by PushBlack, the nation's largest non-profit Black media company. PushBlack exists to amplify the stories of Black history you didn't learn in school. You make PushBlack happen with your contributions at BlackHistoryYear.com — most people donate $10 a month, but every dollar makes a difference. If this episode moved you, share it with your people! Thanks for supporting the work. The production team for this podcast includes Cydney Smith, Len Webb, and Lilly Workneh. Our editors are Lance John and Avery Phillips from Gifted Sounds Network. Julian Walker serves as executive producer." To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:30.1	Our African ancestors were such tremendous swimmers that Europeans believed Africans were sea creatures.
0:38.3	They used Africans' ability to swim to dehumanize them.
0:43.3	This is two-minute black history.
0:45.3	What you didn't learn in school.
0:48.3	Since many African communities were located near water, most people could swim. Our ancestors
1:04.5	respected water as a natural and spiritual resource. This was at a time when supposedly only upper-class Europeans knew how to swim.
1:14.5	When they reached North Africa, the Romans were perplexed by the sight of Africans effortlessly swimming.
1:22.2	Their art mocked and sexualized African swimmers.
1:25.7	They tried on mosaics of Africans on their way to their pools.
1:29.6	As the centuries passed,
1:31.2	swimming became a recreational activity for white people
1:34.2	and another stolen aspect of African culture.
1:38.4	Europeans were astounded at African's swimming ability,
	...

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