why are there no black skydivers?

[Krosfyah 0]

Ok, thats a slight over exaggeration? One thing i have definitely noticed though is that 99% of skydivers - at least where i am from in the UK - are white.
I was talking to a black friend of mine and his suggestion was that black people are too busy just trying to survive day to day life for the most part, let alone throw themselves out of a plane for fun.
Any black (or any minority for that matter) jumpers care to enlighten me as to why this is, and if my friends point has any validity? (i figure it probably does to a certain degree)

[PhreeZone 20]

Perhaps its just your area that is lacking in minority jumpers. There are lots of minority jumpers in the States.
I want to touch the sky, I want to fly so high ~ Sonique

[rgoper 0]

i believe it's because the brothers and sisters are too busy carrying out there appointed chores, ya know, cleaning house, and picking cotton, etc...tryin' to keep "masser" happy. this is of course satirical. the interest of miniorty skydivers is increasing, i see a lot of diverse groups on the dz, doing tandems and aff. i even know of one guy who is a high time jumper who shoots video, and is a tandem master. i welcome ALL races, colors and creeds into our sport. i'm white, and skered of heights!
Richard
"Gravity Is My Friend"

[skybytch 273]

One of the nicest skydivers I've ever met, Sylvester "Saint" St. Cyr, was a black man... unfortunately he left us in his sleep last week And there was another (I didn't catch his name) on a 10 way I did on Saturday....
Might just be a location thing. Southern California has lots of "non-white" jumpers, from hispanics to blacks to orientals and beyond. Could just be a reflection of the overall population here though...
pull and flare,
lisa
--

[riggerrob 643]

I am saddened to hear that Sylvester St. Cyr is gone. I will say a prayer for his soul, even though we knew that he was scheduled to go to heaven years ago.
As for the question as to why we see so few minority skydivers .... some of the answer is economic, but much of it is cultural. For example, here in Vancouver, we have plenty of Asians: Sihks and Chinese. Most of them are first, second and third generation immigrants, still trying to establish themselves in the New World.
Culturally, they still look to the Old World. The most vicious public arguments between Vancouver Sihks are over religion.
Only third generation immigrants can spare the time or the cash for expensive sports.

[wildblue 7]

Let's not stereotype and blame it on economics.. I hate when people do that... "Oh, well most black people are poor and live in the ghetto on foodstamps, so they couldn't possibly afford to skydive"
Two problems with this:
a) Show me how there's more poor black people than poor white people
b) How many poor skydivers do you know? You know, the ones who have a $200 car (if they even have a car) but have 2 rigs and a camera, work around the dz for whatever money they can to jump
Probably a lot of it is location, but I'm sure there's a good part of it that stems from attitudes shown by the earlier statement. Most skydivers I know don't see people as black or white (or asian or hispanic or whatever) but as jumpers and wuffos Well, ok, maybe we remember they're different when their girlfriend jokes about painting him blue to prevent racial profiling... and you go "huh?... oh right.. he's black.. I get it now.. that's funny" But anyway, back to my point - it only takes one or two people with a prejudice to turn someone off skydiving. How would you feel (I'm assuming you're white) if you showed up at a DZ and you were the only white guy there? I'm sure all it would take is for one or two people to look at you funny, and you wouldn't want to come back. The really sad thing is, someone may look at you funny and not even realize they did it. "Wow, he can afford to come do this?"
I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad
I got sunshine, in a bag

[scottbre 0]

Maybe black people are just smarter.
"Can't keep my mind from the circling sky. Tongue-tied & twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I."

[JDBoston 0]

I asked a black friend of mine the same thing a while ago and she thought that skydiving is just one of those "crazy white people's sports" and it's tough enough being black without also throwing yourself out of planes.
So I would go for more of a cultural rather than economic explanation. After all, there are plenty of white people eating ramen noodles and spending their last dime on skydiving - it's not 100% a yuppie sport by any means.
Joe

[freeflir29 0]

"I was born a poor black child..."-Steve Martin/The Jerk
"I got some beers....Let's Drink em!!!"
Clay

[skymedic 0]

I believe snowflake will have an opinion on this....
marc
"...a mind stretched with new idea's will never regain its shape"

[SpeedRacer 1]

Quote

it's tough enough being black without also throwing yourself out of planes.

This explanation doesn't make much sense. It sounds more like just a plain old whuffo response, not something that would actually explain anything about the skin color distribution of people who'd try skydiving.
We've got a few black skydivers at my DZ, but yeah, only a few. And economics doesn't really explain it: the area around DC has a large & thriving black middle class population. In Maryland black college students actually outnumber the white ones.
I think it has to do partly with the fact that you're more likely to think of trying skydiving if there's a DZ nearby, DZ's are usually out in the country, more blacks live in the cities.
And then there's the whole social momentum thing. You're more likely to think of trying skydiving if a close friend has tried it first & told you about it. People are more likely to have close friends of the same race. Skydiving got started by primarily white people & it just got mostly perpetuated that way by a sort of social momentum.
Speed Racer
"My God! It's full of stars!"

[QuickDraw 0]

My tandem instructor was/is black, great guy.
was at Tilstock (shropshire) about 9 years ago

[TheMarshMan1 0]

Kinda off topic, but I think it helps rule out the economic reasons. I was just looking through my logbook this morning. I have flown with AT LEAST 5 black flight instructors. Four of those were check pilots and one of those four was female (she was one of the toughest instructors I've ever flown with, by the way). Personally, I dont think economics has one single thing to do with it. I think it just happens to be that way. Just my .02
-Marshall

[MarkM 0]

"My tandem instructor was/is black"
Was? He turn white over the weekend or something? Don't remember if I've seen any minorities at a dropzone or not, but then I've never really looked for any. I see skydivers when I'm at a dropzone, not ethnic groups. So while I could've seen someone who was black or chinese or whatever, it's probably something that didn't register.
You're a freeflyer, skysurfer, instructor, manifester, sky God, or student when I see you. The other categories just don't seem to matter there.
Oh, unless you have boobies. I still see the boobies.

[MyUserID 0]

Economics cant have anything to do with it. I'm putting myself through college. My school isnt exactly cheap on top of that. I have no car, live in the dorms, and live off or ramen noodles and pop tarts. Yet, I skydive. I dont know how, but I always manage to squeaze it into my budget every month.

[Phil 0]

an other reason is perhaps that african american don't need to jump out of planes, they just jump up to the hoops. So that we can get some "air" we need a plane and a parachute. They just need Nike. (and now go and burn me...).
Where I'm from we have people from Italy, Germany, Austria and from all over the world and we don't care what color he/she wears as long as they can say "BEER"!!!
C U
Phil

[Snowflake 0]

I would hazard to guess that there are a lot of reasons there aren't a lot of brothers jumping. A little economic what group has the most disposable income in this country?(although when people decide they want to do something they usually find a way.....but the idea has to be there ie lack of exposure), a little bit cultural, and a little bit (Searching for a word) ummm of well let me put it this way I grew up in predominantly middle class white America and most of my freinds were white and when I took them to a party that was mainly black people they would get real uncomfortable and remark to me that they felt uncomfortable being the only white person there, well the reverse is true also, a majority of people tend to want to stay in their own groups which also leads to lack of exposure to activities that the group doesn't participate in(kinda boring if you ask me). On a side note my 2 tandems were with a brother (we accused manifest of segragation when he did my second ;-P) . Lets face it most people think were nuts no matter what color they are.
PS being poor in college can in no way be construed as the same as being poor and undereducated. I've seen white people that can jump (thats all the rise you get out of me with that assinine comment)
Blue Ones
JG

[freeflir29 0]

Exposure has to be 99% of it.
"I got some beers....Let's Drink em!!!"
Clay

[SpeedRacer 1]

Indecent exposure probably accounts for a lot of its popularity, too!
Speed Racer
"My God! It's full of stars!"

[SpeedRacer 1]

Especially at Skydive Orange in Virginia!
Speed Racer
"My God! It's full of stars!"

[freeflir29 0]

"Indecent exposure"
It's not indecent if she's hot! "I got some beers....Let's Drink em!!!"
Clay

[harro 0]

Im short, does that count??
Freemind, freesky, freebeer, freefly, freesex

[Billy 0]

Agree with the population density and exposure thing,, Spokane is about as white as ya can get in the US I'm sure,, my daughter saw her first non white folks at the Seattle airport when she was about 3 yrs old and just stared at this lady,, who was cool about it when I explained the situation,, she let her touch her skin and face,, I've noticed the same with skiing by the way

[lazerq3 0]

Agreed about the sking.......the one joke I've heard from freinds of mine that are black is that " the brothers hate the cold"!! ( thats a direct quote by the way). But the hole $$$ issue doesnt really fly with me to much because if you want something bad enough you'll get it no matter how long it takes, as long as your motivated enough. I am not rich by no means but I really wanted to become a skydiver so it took giving up some things to get there ( few gallons of my plasma for starters). Me personally ...I'll fly with anyone...
jason

[pdj6p 0]

Jason you haven't availed your jumping skills to me yet. missed you in mesquite too. I think you are avoiding me. hahaha. along those lines, sky dive salt lake is taking thier caravan to mesquite on Feb. 8,9,10. But since I'll be on duty for the olympics I will not be there, so I guess you will.
Don