They Said Black Men Couldn't Swim...

About this video

A guest recounts his experience at a military swimming school in Florida where the commanding officer initially tried to send him back, claiming that Black men couldn’t swim and refusing to risk his career. The guest negotiated to prove himself on the first day, excelled throughout the course, and graduated, though the commander refused to shake his hand at the ceremony.

Key takeaways

• The guest describes being told by a commanding officer that he would be sent back because of a racist belief that Black men couldn’t swim
• The guest negotiated to prove himself by agreeing to drop out if he couldn’t compete on the first day, then excelled throughout the course
• Despite successfully completing and graduating from the course, the guest recounts that the commanding officer refused to shake his hand at graduation

Episode details: published June 19, 2026 · 24.4K views · 1:06 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Stories told by Mike Ritland’s podcast guests are the guests’ own accounts, attributed to them — not independently verified. Commentary is Ritland’s, presented as his analysis.

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