# African Albinos? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 30, 2002, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753 "2002-12-30T21:27:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jayjam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bbce88/32.png) [@jayjam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjam)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/1 "2002-12-30T21:27:30Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![jack\_ss](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c77e96/32.png) [@jack\_ss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jack_ss)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/2 "2002-12-30T21:54:25Z")
Yes, it’s possible. [http://reggaephotos.com/images/Yellowman\_7-13-01/Yellowman-020.jpg](http://reggaephotos.com/images/Yellowman_7-13-01/Yellowman-020.jpg) [http://www.easysqueezesound.com/Yellowman027.jpg](http://www.easysqueezesound.com/Yellowman027.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Yeah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/dbc845/32.png) [@Yeah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeah)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/3 "2002-12-30T22:52:14Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![TheeGrumpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheeGrumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheeGrumpy)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/4 "2002-12-30T23:12:14Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/5 "2002-12-30T23:12:15Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/6 "2002-12-30T23:16:29Z")
I went to middle and high school with an albino of obviously African-American extraction. They exist. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/7 "2002-12-30T23:22:14Z")
I went to middle and high school with an albino of obviously African-American extraction. They exist. ---
**Author:** ![sugaree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@sugaree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugaree)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/8 "2002-12-30T23:49:40Z")
I knew African-American albinos as a child, so for years I wrongly believed that only black people could be albinos. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2002, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/9 "2002-12-30T23:58:25Z")
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!” ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/10 "2002-12-31T00:16:35Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/11 "2002-12-31T00:31:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by **MC Master of Cermonies** \* > 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 I believe you may be talking about vitiligo, an entirely different condition. [http://www.nvfi.org/](http://www.nvfi.org/) ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/12 "2002-12-31T00:33:24Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/13 "2002-12-31T00:35:04Z")
Doesn’t sound like vitilgo, as these people were born this way whereas the website describes vitilgo as a spontaneous depigmentation. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/14 "2002-12-31T00:36:53Z")
Infact I’m 99% sure it was a form of albinoism as several members of the group were comlpletely albino. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/15 "2002-12-31T00:37:57Z")
\*albinism ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/16 "2002-12-31T00:45:01Z")
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. [http://www.albinism.org](http://www.albinism.org) ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/17 "2002-12-31T00:55:13Z")
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. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/18 "2002-12-31T01:09:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mighty\_Girl \* > 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. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/19 "2002-12-31T01:27:02Z")
And the name is? I never heard that condition mentioned anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/bb73d2/32.png) [@MC\_Master\_of\_Ceremonies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MC_Master_of_Ceremonies)\ **Post date:** [December 31, 2002, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753/20 "2002-12-31T01:29:10Z")
I don’t know, but incomplete albinism isn’t unheard of. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/african-albinos/145753.md?page=2)