I decided I would show them that Black people could swim.
John Sellars is a swimmer and proud Burlington community member. He grew up on Rauhut Street, a prominent area of Burlington for Black businesses.
John spent much of his childhood at the North Park Pool, working his way up to become a lifeguard. During the ‘50s and ‘60s, North Park was a thriving community hub, welcoming people from across the state and region, as it was one of the few pools for Black people in a segregated North Carolina.
John went on to attend college and graduate school, and worked in administration, higher education, and government for 40 years. He encourages Alamance County youth to pursue their passions.