# Do black people tan? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 9, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-black-people-tan/480548 "2009-01-09T17:41:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Barefoot\_Black\_Bull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Barefoot\_Black\_Bull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barefoot_Black_Bull)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2015, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-black-people-tan/480548/41 "2015-10-03T01:45:48Z")
> [@Fubaya](#): > > Dumb question, but… does that work? I thought palms and soles appeared lighter because they had very little melanin. I thought it was the same in all people, just more noticeable when contrasted with darker skin. Yes for me it does seem to work. The bottoms of my barefeet have gotten much darker. Not my palms though. Not exactly sure why that is. ---
**Author:** ![Yersenia\_Pestis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e495f1/32.png) [@Yersenia\_Pestis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yersenia_Pestis)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2015, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-black-people-tan/480548/42 "2015-10-03T02:14:59Z")
They absolutely tan and should wear sun screen as well! ---
**Author:** ![Barefoot\_Black\_Bull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Barefoot\_Black\_Bull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barefoot_Black_Bull)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2015, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-black-people-tan/480548/43 "2015-10-03T03:08:21Z")
> [@Yersenia\_Pestis](#): > > They absolutely tan and should wear sun screen as well! I have never worn protection. At the tanning bed or on the beach. As long as the sensitive area is covered, nothing burns. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2015, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-black-people-tan/480548/44 "2015-10-03T03:33:33Z")
I’m surprised no one said this: Define “black people”. In the US, a “black person” might be 75% “white” or more. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2015, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-black-people-tan/480548/45 "2015-10-03T03:35:11Z")
> [@Barefoot\_Black\_Bull](#): > > What is a Zombie Negro? Welcome to the Dope, **Barefoot\_Black\_Bull**! **Great Sun Jester** was pointing out that the thread you’re responding to is six years old. Reviving a zombie thread always results in undead jokes - it’s kind of a tradition here. ---
**Author:** ![Barefoot\_Black\_Bull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Barefoot\_Black\_Bull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barefoot_Black_Bull)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2015, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-black-people-tan/480548/46 "2015-10-03T04:27:41Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I’m surprised no one said this: Define “black people”. > > In the US, a “black person” might be 75% “white” or more. That’s true. I am 100% black. Sometimes 120% black. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2015, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-black-people-tan/480548/47 "2015-10-03T04:32:42Z")
> [@Barefoot\_Black\_Bull](#): > > What is a Zombie Negro? This thread dates back to 2009. We tend to refer to old threads that have been raised from the dead like this as zombie threads. Expect a few zombie-related sarcastic comments and/or jokes. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2015, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-black-people-tan/480548/48 "2015-10-03T14:50:41Z")
January 11, 2009 > [@MatthewStabile](#): > > I apologize for my stubborn view (and am only keeping this little sub-discussion going because I feel the OP’s question has been answered adequately). I started another job where I have to get up very early compared to when I used to have to wake up, **and have been a zombie for the last week…** … :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2015, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-black-people-tan/480548/49 "2015-10-03T15:06:48Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I’m surprised no one said this: Define “black people”. Anyone who can jump. ---
**Author:** ![sbunny8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@sbunny8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sbunny8)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2015, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-black-people-tan/480548/50 "2015-10-03T15:19:17Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I’m surprised no one said this: Define “black people”. > > In the US, a “black person” might be 75% “white” or more. That’s true. A read about a scientific study which looked for genetic markers and found that 98% of Americans who identify as “black” have some European ancestry and 35% of Americans who identify as “white” have some African ancestry. My spouse, who identifies as “black” is roughly\* 60% African, 30% European, and 10% Asian. Yes she does tan. Sometimes in the winter time she’ll comment on how her skin is a lighter shade of brown than usual. She never uses sunscreen and rarely gets burned. - I say “roughly” because even if you know what your great-grandparents looked like, you still don’t know what THEIR great-grandparents looked like, not with a high degree of certainty anyway. ---
**Author:** ![MrQwertyasd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9d8465/32.png) [@MrQwertyasd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrQwertyasd)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2015, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-black-people-tan/480548/51 "2015-10-05T13:31:20Z")
> [@Alex\_Dubinsky](#): > > In general, sunscreen has its place. BUT SO DOES VITAMIN D. +1 Loads of evidence that dark skinned people in northern latitudes don’t get enough vit D, and it’s got a\* lot \*more uses than just bone health. In fact pale people are generally deficient too, but it’s a more pronounced effect for dark people. It’s cheap and easy to supplement though. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/hiGBVDcbFVk/maxresdefault.jpg "Michael Holick - The D-Lightful Vitamin D for Good Health") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiGBVDcbFVk) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-black-people-tan/480548.md?page=2)