# When were "flesh" colored Crayolas discontinued? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 17, 2003, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909 "2003-10-17T01:35:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Belrix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed655f/32.png) [@Belrix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belrix)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2003, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/21 "2003-10-17T22:53:15Z")
If you don’t mind me answering my own question, [The story of Indian Red](http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/072799/new_crayon.shtml). ---
**Author:** ![syncrolecyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f08c70/32.png) [@syncrolecyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/syncrolecyne)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/22 "2003-10-18T02:24:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CrazyCatLady \* > \*\* > > I’m thinking the OP is delusional or had some damn old crayons. \*\* I must be delusional - maybe from nibbling on 20 year old crayons in our formative years. Why else would I care about this sh\_t? But Crayola isn’t the only game in town - maybe some no-name crayon company kept the politically incorrect crayon names alive for much longer, and those somewhat discount racist crayons somehow infiltrated the crayola bins at school. Crayola’s story of its 1958 “Prussian Blue” switch to “Midnight Blue” also seems odd. They cite contemporary complaints that no children knew what “Prussian” meant any more…yet other obscure names like Burnt Sienna were kept. I simply think that no one wanted a name that reminded most grown ups of goose stepping and spiked helmets. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/23 "2003-10-18T02:25:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Belrix \* > \*\*So when did “Indian Red” disappear? \*\* I see that you’ve answered your own question, which, incidentally, is discussed in both links posted earlier in this thread. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/24 "2003-10-18T16:55:52Z")
Born in 1971, so I guess that’d’ve put me in the Kindegarten around 1976 or '77. I remember “flesh” quite distinctly for a couple of years beyond Kindergarten. I remember it was Crayola crayons as well, the box being distinct and having a crayon sharpener built-in. Where would false memories come from? No, really? ---
**Author:** ![Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@Bad\_News\_Baboon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bad_News_Baboon)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/25 "2003-10-18T17:01:55Z")
I, too, was born in 1971. I specifically remember “flesh” because we once passed the crayon around and tried to see who’s flesh color it was. It couldn’t have been another brand. Mom always got me Crayola 64 packs. Always. There may have been other brands, but none that came in a 64 pack, yellow box, labled with chevrons and a sharpener in the back. Crayolas (specifically) were a treat for me. Must have been some pretty old crayons. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/26 "2003-10-18T17:34:13Z")
I was born in '78, and I think I remember “flesh” colored crayons, but I don’t remember noticing a switch or anything like that. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dfb087/32.png) [@CrazyCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyCatLady)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/27 "2003-10-18T17:57:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Balthisar \* > \*\*Where would false memories come from? No, really? \*\* I don’t know, the same place all these memories of seeing a little kid cuss out Bozo the Clown come from? You’ll hear people all over the country tell almost exactly the same story, even though the Bozo show was a regional broadcast, sort of a franchise deal, and these folks wouldn’t have been watching the same version of Bozo, and the odds of the details being very similar in multiple different events are pretty low. Memory is a strange thing. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/28 "2003-10-18T18:01:24Z")
Well, maybe Crayola’s trying to pull a trick on us and rewrite the past – we really have no means of confirming that they _didn’t_ eliminate “flesh” when they said they did. Yeah, now that I think of it, there’ve never, ever been “flesh” Crayola crayons and we’ve always been at war with Eurasia… ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/29 "2003-10-18T18:17:33Z")
I was born in '66, and distinctly remember Flesh Crayolas in the '70s. And my dad told my the Bozo story. It was a friend of his that did it 😉 ---
**Author:** ![zabrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/dbc845/32.png) [@zabrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zabrain)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/30 "2003-10-18T19:29:24Z")
Sadly, I don’t remember ever having a new box of crayons and all the old ones I got from my cousins already had the paper skin removed. BooHoo BTW - I’ve never seen a peach colored person. I think I’m more of a “tan”. ---
**Author:** ![snac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90db22/32.png) [@snac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snac)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/31 "2003-10-18T21:32:12Z")
Born in 1960. I remember peach. And apricot. I don’t recall anything named “flesh,” and I think it would’ve weirded me out if I’d seen it. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/32 "2003-10-18T22:41:50Z")
Huh. I seem to remember using Crayola crayons marked “flesh”, and I was born in 1980. But that seems a bit late. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2003, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/33 "2003-10-18T22:57:02Z")
I remember both “flesh” (sort of a pinky-tan) and “peach” (more orangey), although I couldn’t tell you if they were from the same box of crayons. But my crayons were from the early 70’s (or maybe the very late 60’s at the earliest), and it was definitely the big Crayola box (the one with the “crayon sharpener” in it). Crayola are lying, say I. ---
**Author:** ![cstamets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/958977/32.png) [@cstamets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cstamets)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/34 "2003-10-19T01:09:48Z")
I was born in 1966, and I remember flesh-colored Crayolas. I was always puzzled because it didn’t even look like my little-white-boy flesh. Maybe it was a regional thing? Maybe they started changing the color in 1962 in some areas, and those of us in the midwest, where it probably wouldn’t have been as big an issue, got the leftover flesh crayons for awhile? ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/35 "2003-10-19T01:45:14Z")
Maybe they were discontinued in '62, but it took years for the ones all ready produced to be sold? Just a WAG. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/36 "2003-10-19T09:47:18Z")
I’d thought of that, but do you think Crayola had a _fifteen-year_ backstock of “flesh” crayons? It seems a tad unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![MaryEFoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@MaryEFoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaryEFoo)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/37 "2003-10-19T16:30:42Z")
I’m beginning to think the official 1962 discontinue date is just plain incorrect. Too many witnesses to the contrary. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/38 "2003-10-19T19:30:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ultrafilter \* > \*\*Huh. I seem to remember using Crayola crayons marked “flesh”, and I was born in 1980. But that seems a bit late. \*\* Yeah, me too, and I was born in '82. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/39 "2003-10-19T20:30:06Z")
Hmmm. I’m sure I remember using “Flesh” Crayolas, (as well as Indian Red) c. 1974. Unless… unless… I always had Crayola wax crayons and Laurentian pencil crayons… maybe Laurentian took longer to rename the colour than the Crayola folks did, and the fog of time has confused the two? They used very similar naming conventions. Another thing that gives me a nagging doubt is that I distinctly remember my little friends and I calling that colour “Skin Colour” amongst ourselves. “Are you done with the Skin Colour yet? Hurry up!” Why would we use an alternate name, unless we unconciously felt that “flesh” was an inappropriate word for a kindergarten-age vocabulary? Is it possible that at that age we recognized that colour as Universal White Person colour from picture-book illustrations, etc, and regarded it as such in spite of the label? Experientially, we’d be exposed to that colour in the context of “fleshtone” much more than as “peach-colour.” ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2003, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909/40 "2003-10-20T16:00:43Z")
Okay, I’ve heard back from my sister. She says that’s pretty sure she wrote to the Crayola company to complain about the color switch in 1970. (She knows that it was within a year or so of 1970 because she remembers it happened when she was in college – she was using the “flesh” colored crayons in an art project and was annoyed that the color switched.) Unfortunately she no longer has the letter that she received in response. However … according to her the name switched earlier. They changed the name from “flesh” to “peach” a few years before, then changed the color around 1970 from the old “flesh” color to something that was actually closer to peach. It was the color change that she was complaining about. So I’ve asked her again if she can remember when the name change happened … . [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-were-flesh-colored-crayolas-discontinued/207909.md?page=3)