In the 1960s, many public pools were filled with concrete or destroyed to avoid allowing Black Americans to swim in them. In fact, park managers opted to shut down the Historic Audubon Park Natatorium in New Orleans, the largest public pool in the South, rather than see it integrated. Black children ages 10-14 years drown in swimming pools at a rate that is almost 8 times higher than White children. Third places are incredibly important for public health and wellbeing however because they give people a place to socialize and build community. We also need better national data about our public pool system that goes beyond project- or funding-specific tracking.

---

Persons: Cullen Jones, Cullen Jones Maddie Meyer, Paris —, Heather McGhee, Prosper Organizations: USA, Foundation, CNN, Olympics, Rutgers Aquatic Center, ”, White Americans, Black, Historic Audubon, Disease Control, Prevention, Trust, Community Locations: @CullenJones, Philadelphia, Paris, Newark , New Jersey, ”, United States, New Orleans, White