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Story highlights
- Roxanne Jones: Victorious black swimmer Simone Manuel knows the resonance of her position in an era of racial struggle
- Jones: History of blacks being systematically denied use of public pools makes Manuel's Olympic win also a victory about race
Roxanne Jones, a founding editor of ESPN Magazine and former vice president at ESPN, has worked as a producer and as a reporter at the New York Daily News and The Philadelphia Inquirer. She was named a 2010 Woman of the Year by Women in Sports and Events, is a co-author of "Say It Loud: An Illustrated History of the Black Athlete," and CEO of the Push Marketing Group. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.
(CNN)For black women in America, the past several years have been deeply painful. Not that it's ever been a joy ride, exactly. We just thought this journey was getting a little smoother, that we could drop our guard a bit and just live.
But then here we are again -- mothers, daughters and friends, every day, it seems, publicly grieving for lost loved ones, protesting angrily that our #BlackLivesMatter, witnessing our sisters being brutalized and sometimes killed by police, or by other angry men.
I confess that collectively some days our grief and frustration just seem too much to bear.
And then grace steps in. And we are inspired.
Simone Manuel's Olympic gold win in the 100-meter freestyle -- the first ever for an African-American woman in swimming -- reminds us how resilient and strong we have always been, and how strong we must continue to be. Gliding through the water with unfettered determination and all the beauty inherited from generations past, Manuel reminded us that we have always been and always will be one of the most important ingredients in this jumbled American pie.
Photos: Historic Olympic performances
Phelps wins eight gold medals in Beijing: Swimmer Michael Phelps, right, became the first athlete to win eight gold medals in one Olympics when he helped the United States win the 4x100 medley in 2008. Here, he celebrates with Garrett Weber-Gale after a victory in the 4x100 freestyle. No one has won more Olympic medals than Phelps, who added to his collection in 2012 and 2016.
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Photos: Historic Olympic performances
The world's fastest man -- ever: Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt has owned the 100 meters since the 2008 Olympics, when he blew away the field with a world-record time of 9.69 seconds. Bolt lowered that record a year later to 9.58 -- a mark that still stands today.
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Photos: Historic Olympic performances
A perfect 10: Nadia Comaneci became the first gymnast in Olympic history to score a perfect 10 in an event -- and she did it seven times at the 1976 Olympics. The Romanian, who collected three golds in Montreal, finished with three 10s on the balance beam and four on the uneven bars.
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Photos: Historic Olympic performances
An upset for the ages: Rulon Gardner, a Greco-Roman wrestler for the United States, made history in 2000 when he defeated Russia's Aleksandr Karelin in the gold-medal match of the 130-kilogram (287-pound) weight class. Karelin, the gold medalist in 1988, 1992 and 1996, had not lost a match in 13 years.
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Photos: Historic Olympic performances
The Fosbury Flop: American high jumper Dick Fosbury clears the bar on the way to winning gold at the 1968 Summer Games in Mexico City. His "back-first" jumping style revolutionized the sport and is now used by almost everyone who competes in the event.
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Photos: Historic Olympic performances
Spitz wins seven: Before Michael Phelps, there was Mark Spitz. Spitz, seen here on the shoulders of American teammates Tom Bruce and Mike Stamm, won seven swimming events at the 1972 Summer Games in Munich, Germany. It was the most golds won at one Olympics until Phelps won eight in 2008.
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Photos: Historic Olympic performances
Flo-Jo's record runs: American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner dominated the 100 and 200 meters at the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul, South Korea. She set a world record in the 200 (21.34 seconds) that still stands today. Her Olympic record in the 100 meters (10.62 seconds) was just off the world record she set a couple months earlier. That record (10.49 seconds) still stands today as well.
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Photos: Historic Olympic performances
Strug digs deep: U.S. gymnast Kerri Strug injured her ankle on her second-to-last vault during the team competition at the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta. But with a gold medal in the balance, she still had to go once more and land on her feet. She did just that, clinching victory and making her an American hero.
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Photos: Historic Olympic performances
Owens makes a statement: U.S. track star Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Games, which took place in Berlin during the rule of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. Hitler wanted the Games to showcase what he believed to be the racial superiority of white Aryan athletes, but Owens spoiled that idea and became a cultural icon.
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Photos: Historic Olympic performances
Gold shoes, gold medal: Michael Johnson and his flashy spikes set a new world record in the 200 meters, finishing in 19.32 seconds in 1996. The American also added gold in the 400 meters that year.
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Photos: Historic Olympic performances
The gold standard: Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina won six medals in the 1964 Summer Games, giving her a record 18 medals -- nine of them gold -- over three Olympics. Only Michael Phelps has won more Olympic medals.
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Photos: Historic Olympic performances
No shoes? No problem: Ethiopian runner Abebe Bikila became the first black African to win Olympic gold when he won the marathon in world-record time in 1960. And he did it in his bare feet, just the way he had trained.
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Photos: Historic Olympic performances
"The Czech Locomotive": Emil Zapotek is the only person to win the 5,000 meters, the 10,000 meters and the marathon all in the same Olympics (1952). But perhaps even more amazing was that until that point, he had never run a marathon in his life.
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Photos: Historic Olympic performances
Now that's longevity: German kayaker Birgit Fischer, left, was 42 years old when she won gold at the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, Greece. She became the second person to win gold medals in six different Olympics. Hungarian fencer Aladar Gerevich was the first.
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Photos: Historic Olympic performances
Beamon's phenomenal jump: American long jumper Bob Beamon obliterated the world record by more than 21 inches in 1968, leaping an astonishing 9 feet, 2 1/2 inches (8.90 meters). Beamon was so stunned by the distance that he collapsed to the ground in what doctors later diagnosed as a cataplectic seizure brought on by nervous excitement. The record stood until 1991.
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A Stanford University student from Sugarland, Texas, Simone understands why she is so special. She embraces the responsibility that comes with being a successful, young black woman. And after her victory, Simone boldly stood before the world and talked about how today's toxic racial climate affects her:
"It means a lot, especially with what is going on in the world today, some of the issues of police brutality," Manuel said. "This win hopefully brings hope and change to some of the issues that are going on."
Brava, Simone. This young woman has a calm courage and sense of self that so many Millennials are showing the world these days. It rejuvenates my optimism. And this is not the first time Manuel has spoken about her commitment to the fight for racial justice. She's always been there.
Long before the games, she explained her motivation to win. "I'm hoping what I can do in Rio is give some people hope...you just have to keep fighting," Manuel told TIME. "Our ancestors did. What we do [now] is a reflection of what they have done for us. It's also a platform for what will happen in the future. We just have to keep fighting and persevering to try to make change."
Indeed, the politics of swimming in the U.S. mirrors our history of segregation and white resistance to integration. Still today, attitudes about swimming often reflect lasting stereotypes and white America's attitudes about race.
We need look no further for those attitudes than today's headlines declaring Manuel's Olympic win.
"Michael Phelps shares historic night with African-American" said the San Jose Mercury News headline. Immediately, it was rightly blasted on social media as both sexist and racist. The paper apologized and made a correction, but still didn't think Manuel's historic performance deserved its own billing separate from Phelps.
Photos: Simone Biles works best in the air
You may already know that U.S. Olympic gold medal gymnast Simone Biles has a signature move named after her called "The Biles." In fact Biles has an entire catalog of specialized maneuvers at her command when she performs a floor exercise, or on the balance beam, the uneven bars or the vault. Click through the gallery to see some of Biles' most breathtaking tumbles, dismounts and other moves that have wowed the world during her time at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
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Photos: Simone Biles works best in the air
'The Biles' – The move that bears her name is part of a spectacular floor exercise maneuver. "The Biles" is a leap through the air that includes three elements: 1. a double layout (a layout is when the body is stretched out fully); 2. a half-twist, when Biles shifts her weight to turn her body; 3. a blind landing.
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Photos: Simone Biles works best in the air
The double-double – Her ability to jump high and maintain momentum in midair comes from a combination of her short stature and great strength. That's one reason why you'll see Biles perform so many "double-doubles." A double-double is a challenging double-twisting, double-back somersault tumbling move. You need to jump very high to have time to do all that twisting and flipping. Biles packs a lot of power into her 4 feet, 8 inches.
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Photos: Simone Biles works best in the air
Getting up to speed – Biles also is known for her extremely powerful running skills. Her ability to get up to speed quickly lets her pack more tumbling elements into a single jump.
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Photos: Simone Biles works best in the air
Amanar vault – The Amanar vault has been called "one of the hardest vaults performed by women." Biles has been praised for her consistency and height when performing this move. Here's how it works: As the gymnast runs up to the horse, she hits the mat with her hands into a round-off, then hits her feet onto the spring board to do a back handspring onto the horse. Finally, she flips off the horse into a twisting layout back flip, landing facing the horse.
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Photos: Simone Biles works best in the air
The Wolf Turn – Remember that the balance beam in gymnastics is only 4 inches wide. Near the start of Biles' balance beam performance she does an extremely difficult element called the Wolf Turn. Squatting on her right foot, with her arms and left leg outstretched -- she spins two-and-a-half times around. Then, without falling, Biles stands upright to continue her routine.
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Photos: Simone Biles works best in the air
Balance beam dismount – Experts call it the hardest balance beam dismount in gymnastics. Biles flips backward head-over-heels twice toward the end of the beam. Then she jumps backward off the end of the beam, flipping in mid-air twice before sticking the landing perfectly.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, white Americans are twice as likely to know how to swim as black Americans. It found black children aged five to 14 are three times more likely to die from unintentional drowning than their white counterparts. In the U.S., approximately 10 people die from unintentional drowning every day.
For my generation, that meant our parents likely never learned to swim because the community pools were legally or illegally designated "Whites Only," or that the one decrepit community pool in their black neighborhood was a cesspool best to be avoided.
Today, across too many American cities, blacks are systematically denied access to local municipal community centers that charge exorbitant entry fees, or, exclusive swim clubs that only the most resourceful parents can navigate. And when they do gain entry, the racist slights begin long before our children take their first dive.
Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
U.S. swimmer Katie Ledecky celebrates after setting a new world record in the 800-meter freestyle on Friday, August 12. It was her fourth gold medal in Rio and the fifth of her Olympic career. She also won the 800 free in London four years ago.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
Joseph Schooling won Singapore's first-ever gold medal, edging Michael Phelps to win the 100-meter butterfly.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
Spanish tennis players Rafael Nadal, left, and Marc Lopez acknowledge the crowd after winning gold in doubles. Nadal won singles gold in 2008.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
Maya DiRado, right, looks up at her time after winning the 200-meter backstroke. DiRado was trailing Hungary's Katinka Hosszu, left, for much of the race but edged her at the end. It is DiRado's second gold medal in Rio.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
U.S. soccer players Mallory Pugh, right, and Carli Lloyd react during their quarterfinal loss to Sweden. Sweden won on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw in extra time. It was the United States' first Olympic loss since 2000.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
The British track cycling team set a world record on its way to winning gold in the pursuit event. Bradley Wiggins, left, is now the most decorated British athlete in Olympic history. He has eight medals -- five of them gold.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
U.S. athlete Michelle Carter competes in the shot put final. She won gold with a throw of 20.63 meters, becoming the first American woman ever to win the event. Carter's father, former NFL player Michael Carter, won Olympic silver in the shot put in 1984.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
Chinese gymnast Li Dan won bronze in the trampoline event.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
French weightlifter Gaelle Nayo-Ketchanke competes in the 75-kilogram (165-pound) event.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
Artur Brzozowski, a race walker from Poland, makes his way through the mist during the 20-kilometer event.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
Ukrainian boxer Tetyana Kob celebrates a victory in the flyweight preliminaries.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
Canada's Kate O'Brien and Monique Sullivan compete in team sprint qualifying.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
Argentine sailor Lucia Falasca competes in the laser radial class.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
Kariman Abuljadayel became the first female sprinter to represent Saudi Arabia at the Olympics when she took part in the 100-meter preliminaries. She set a new national record of 14.61 seconds but did not qualify for the next round.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
Christine Wenzel of Germany ejects cartridges during skeet qualification.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
Mexican swimmer Liliana Ibanez Lopez takes part in the 50-meter freestyle heats.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
Croatia's Sandro Sukno shoots on goal during a water polo match against Italy. Croatia won 10-7.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
U.S. archer Brady Ellison won a bronze medal in the individual competition.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
China's Lu Wen, left, and Gao Song compete for a rebound with Serbia's Sonja Petrovic.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
Ethiopia's Almaz Ayana celebrates after winning the 10,000 meters. She stunned spectators by crossing the line in 29 minutes, 17.45 seconds, smashing a record that had stood for nearly 23 years.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
Sweden's Linnea Torstensson, center, competes against the Netherlands' Kelly Dulfer and Laura van der Heijden during a preliminary handball match.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
U.S. athlete Raven Saunders competes in the shot put.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
A remote-control car carries the discus in the men's qualifying round.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
Germany's Claudia Rath competes in the high jump portion of the heptathlon.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
France's Jeremy Cadot reacts during the team foil quarterfinal against China.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
From left, Cuba's Yorgelis Rodriguez, Germany's Claudia Rath, the Netherlands' Anouk Vetter and Great Britain's Katarina Johnson-Thompson compete in the 100-meter hurdles during the heptathlon.
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Photos: Rio Olympics: Day 7
A rower prepares boats for a training session.
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It was little more than a year ago, in Simone's home state of Texas, that we witnessed a McKinney police officer body slamming a slight 15-year-old black girl in her bikini and menacingly aiming his gun at a group of mostly local black teens. Their crime, witnesses said: daring to swim in a community pool during a kid's party.
The officer was suspended and quickly resigned after multiple videos showed his aberrant behavior.
But this was hardly an isolated event. These race wars have always played out across America's pools -- and not just in the South.
In suburban Pennsylvania in 2009, 65 black and Latino campers from a day camp were confronted by angry white parents at the Valley Swim Club in Montgomery County after the camp's director had paid the private club $1,950 for campers to use the pool Mondays that summer.
When the children showed up and jumped into the pool, angry parents yanked their kids out of the pool, demanding to know what the camp kids were doing there. Days later, the camp's agreement was canceled. Said the club president: "there was concern [among the members] that a lot of kids would change the complexion ... and the atmosphere of the club."
Public, resort style swimming pools came into fashion in the North in the 1920's and 30s and were open to mostly working class families. Because Jim Crow only legally existed in the South at the time, these spaces were open to everyone -- at first.
Quickly, however, as more pools were built and were for the first time open to both men and women, Northern politicians and white swimmers demanded a White's Only rule, citing their long-held, hysterical fears about lustful black men mixing too closely with their scantily clad white women.
And so it began. Throughout the 60s and after legal racial segregation ended, public pools remained hostile territory. As more blacks and other races entered these public spaces, white swimmers fled to the privacy of their own backyard pools and private clubs.
This is the ugly history that Simone defied with her beautiful gold medal performance. In her record-breaking 52:70 seconds, she's shattered one more racial stereotype. And righted one of the many injustices committed against black people throughout history.
So yeah, you can argue that it's not about race, that it's just sports, just swimming. But you don't really believe it. We know it's much bigger. As one other famous woman, who knows a bit about swimming against the tide, likes to say -- "it's one more crack in the glass ceiling" that oppresses us all. And one day we will tear it all down.