Here’s one that stumped both my friend and I all weekend…
Is is possible for an African or African American person to be an albino? I thought no because being an albino would mean the absense of skin (color?) pigment, and that is one of the genetic qualities that make African and African American people who they are. My friend on the other hand pointed out that pigment gives caucasian people their sort of pink coloring, and it is possible for them to be born an albino… so what do you guys think? Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
Yes, it’s possible.
http://reggaephotos.com/images/Yellowman_7-13-01/Yellowman-020.jpg
http://www.easysqueezesound.com/Yellowman027.jpg
You’re both wrong.
“Is is possible for an African or African American person to be an albino?”
Yes, of course. Why not? An albino is a person with a genetic abnormality that results in submormal amounts of melanin in his skin. Anyone can have such an abnormality, regardless of whether they come from well pigmented or poorly pigmented stock.
“My friend on the other hand pointed out that pigment gives caucasian people their sort of pink coloring…”
No. Blood gives them their pink color. Melanin pigment gives them their tan.
I recall there was a high school wrestler in my town who was and African-American albino. Had a bad attitude about it, I think. That is, he eventually flipped out and was shot dead by police. 
Which is why I remember him.
There’s a woman who’s African American and also an albino who lives in my condo building. Her hair and skin color are a sort of yellow butter color, if that makes any sense. The rest of her family, who have normal skin and hair coloring, have her facial features. She told me she has to wear sunglasses and heavy sunscreen outside, even on overcast days.
I went to middle and high school with an albino of obviously African-American extraction. They exist.
I went to middle and high school with an albino of obviously African-American extraction. They exist.
I knew African-American albinos as a child, so for years I wrongly believed that only black people could be albinos.
A missionary had been in an African village for a couple of years when an albino child was born to a tribeswoman. The chief wsa furious and confronted the missionary, thinking the churchman had been fooling around. The missionary explained about genetics and mutations and albinos, and that a “white” child could be born to a black couple. He said, “In a flock of white sheep, occasionally a black lamb will be born. Do you understand now?” To which the chief replied, “I understand. I keep quiet about the baby, and you’ll keep quiet about the lamb!”
You also get partial albinos, who only lack pigment in parts of there bodies (I remember seeing a congential case of this in an African tribe who when there ears were in the non-pigmented section were deaf).
In Jamacia, being a (black) albino is associated with a very strong social stigma, so strong infact that albino babies are often abandoned at orphanages.
I believe you may be talking about vitiligo, an entirely different condition.
I have another question. Is there a condition that does the contrary to Albinism? That is make the skin darker than it normally would be.
Doesn’t sound like vitilgo, as these people were born this way whereas the website describes vitilgo as a spontaneous depigmentation.
Infact I’m 99% sure it was a form of albinoism as several members of the group were comlpletely albino.
*albinism
Checking the website for The National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation I couldn’t find any reference to the condition you mention MC. Maybe somebody will come and set us both straight.
I don’t think I’ll find the answer there, as again I’m 99% sure that this particular disorder is extremely rare and only associated with one tribe/family group somewhere in sub-saharan Africa.
Yes.
Of course, if an African had such a condition it may not be apparent to those of European ancestry. But it happens with Caucasians, too, and may affect part or all of the body. Stephen J. Gould wrote about one such case, “The Left Arm of [some female name]” but I can’t remember which of his essays it was exactly.
And the name is? I never heard that condition mentioned anywhere.
I don’t know, but incomplete albinism isn’t unheard of.