An observation about black people...

[Taejin]

Originally posted by: Jumpem
Ok, this is a real question that popped into my mind at the mall earlier.

All of the black people that live in Africa now or are here for college are really dark, almost literally black. However, most American black people are more brown or dark tan looking. Is that because they have white in them from racial mixing over the past couple hundred years?

AFAIK, genetically speaking, African Americans (ie forefathers were enslaved) are actually ~50% genetically white .

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Originally posted by: Gibsons

Originally posted by: KarenMarie

Originally posted by: Brackis
I would say that over time there has been adaptation of the pigments to an American climate which is different from that on the coastlines of Africa.

this is my theory... but i have not spent a lot of time thinking about it.

ridiculous. Africans have been in the U.S. for what? something like 200-400 years, that's only 16 generations at the most.

I was trying to be a bit gentler

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: Brackis

Originally posted by: DAGTA

Originally posted by: Brackis
I would say that over time there has been adaptation of the pigments to an American climate which is different from that on the coastlines of Africa.

My guess (no backup research) is that it's a mix of this adaptation and inter-breeding.

Agreed, it isn't one specific thing. There are still many blacks with very dark skin, but it has become "fashionable" for blacks to have lighter skin (look at most of the blacks who are famous on TV and in Movies)

Actually, it is "fashionable" for black women to have lighter skin. There are still divisions in the black community between those with light-skins and dark-skins.

 

[chrisms]

I noticed most black people have darker skin than me

 

[Gurck]

While evolution can occur in a short time (requires a unified culture in which certain traits are stigmatized and others highly sought after), I believe the average American black person is lighter than the average African black because of procreation with lighter-skinned people.

 

[chrisms]

Originally posted by: Gurck
While evolution can occur in a short time (requires a unified culture in which certain traits are stigmatized and others highly sought after), I believe the average American black person is lighter than the average African black because of procreation with lighter-skinned people.

I was watching Eyes of Nye and it made the point that although they are on similar positions near the equator, South Americans aren't black like Africans because they haven't been there long relatively. So if over thousands of years people can't change their skin color through nature, I doubt African Americans got lighter in only a few hundered because of genetics.

 

[meltdown75]

not sure OP. this link explains pretty much everything though

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: djheater
It's all explained here

btw - just to add some fuel... Observations of this nature especially when made by white colonials has lead to genocide.

When is that transcript from?

Garrett Morris: [ interrupting ] Well, I think I understand the problem with the tests. But the fact is that people have been saying that white people are smarter than black for hundreds of years. We've only had I.Q. tests for 20 or 30 years. How did the idea of white intellectual superiority originate?

We've had IQ tests since the early 1900's IIRC, so unless it's from the 1930's that's just wrong.

 

[MisterCornell]

The average African American has some 20% European blood according to some studies that I've seen.

 

[alien42]

Originally posted by: Jumpem

Originally posted by: Goosemaster
Why think in such a limited fashion? Hell, the food we eat also might havea lot to do with it.

Because I've never thought food or climate would make a persons skin lighter. People tan, but I've never seen a dark skinned person get pale by staying away from the sun.

uhhh, you do know that we all have lineage that originates in africa right?

 

[QuitBanningMe]

Originally posted by: Brackis
I would say that over time there has been adaptation of the pigments to an American climate which is different from that on the coastlines of Africa.

No. It is due to interbreeding. If you go to the sea islands where the populations have been less "contaminated" you will find they are much blacker.

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: alien42

Originally posted by: Jumpem

Originally posted by: Goosemaster
Why think in such a limited fashion? Hell, the food we eat also might havea lot to do with it.

Because I've never thought food or climate would make a persons skin lighter. People tan, but I've never seen a dark skinned person get pale by staying away from the sun.

uhhh, you do know that we all have lineage that originates in africa right?

I just ignored that post and hoped it would go away. Some people need a better education system.

 

[PunDogg]

i don't think its evolution, its just that you have lighter skin to begin with, but if you are in the sun all day like most of the black people you are talking about are, then you skin gets darker within a couple months or years. I'm Indian, i am pretty light for an indian, it isn;t cuz i have white in me

Dogg

 

[mercanucaribe]

Originally posted by: QuitBanningMe

Originally posted by: Brackis
I would say that over time there has been adaptation of the pigments to an American climate which is different from that on the coastlines of Africa.

No. It is due to interbreeding. If you go to the sea islands where the populations have been less "contaminated" you will find they are much blacker.

Evolution needs a lot of generations. It took many thousands of years for blacks, whites, Asians, etc to to become different ecotypes.

 

[QuitBanningMe]

Originally posted by: alien42

Originally posted by: Jumpem

Originally posted by: Goosemaster
Why think in such a limited fashion? Hell, the food we eat also might havea lot to do with it.

Because I've never thought food or climate would make a persons skin lighter. People tan, but I've never seen a dark skinned person get pale by staying away from the sun.

uhhh, you do know that we all have lineage that originates in africa right?

Yes but at one time the pre/human population was light skinned. Dark skin was an evolutionary development.. We only theorize that everyone in Africa was black at the time of the journey out.

 

[QuitBanningMe]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

Originally posted by: QuitBanningMe

Originally posted by: Brackis
I would say that over time there has been adaptation of the pigments to an American climate which is different from that on the coastlines of Africa.

No. It is due to interbreeding. If you go to the sea islands where the populations have been less "contaminated" you will find they are much blacker.

Evolution needs a lot of generations. It took many thousands of years for blacks, whites, Asians, etc to to become different ecotypes.

Why are you telling me?

 

[necine]

Yes. Black women were raped by slave owners and over recent generations people have begun to create racially mixed children.

I am: half black, 1/4 italian, 1/4 greek

 

[Kadarin]

Probably just natural genetic variation.

 

[rh71]

<-- can't wait till the day everyone's a mix.

 

[Forsythe]

Originally posted by: Brackis
I would say that over time there has been adaptation of the pigments to an American climate which is different from that on the coastlines of Africa.

Exactly. Because they spend much more time in shade than africans.

 

[QuitBanningMe]

Originally posted by: Forsythe

Originally posted by: Brackis
I would say that over time there has been adaptation of the pigments to an American climate which is different from that on the coastlines of Africa.

Exactly. Because they spend much more time in shade than africans.

Black people don't tan that much. Jeez do you people know any black people? There are going to be small variations in color due to genetics but the difference between brown and blue black people is interbreeding.

 

[feelingshorter]

Originally posted by: GigaCluster

Originally posted by: Cattlegod
i've wondered this too I was going to make a post about it the other day. I have a feeling that when they were slaves they were raped over and over by their masters. I don't quite understand it how people in the USA call theirselves black when they are a good chunk of white.

Sig material.

took my sig lmao

 

[91TTZ]

Originally posted by: rh71
<-- can't wait till the day everyone's a mix.

Are you really THAT politically correct that you just want everyone to interbreed? Do you really strive for a day when everyone looks the same and there's no variety? I think the world would be a boring place like that. Unless you're one of those people who hates those who look different than you and thinks they should be assimilated.

 

[Nebor]

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: rh71
<-- can't wait till the day everyone's a mix.

Are you really THAT politically correct that you just want everyone to interbreed? Do you really strive for a day when everyone looks the same and there's no variety? I think the world would be a boring place like that. Unless you're one of those people who hates those who look different than you and thinks they should be assimilated.

I agree with rh71. Once we're all the same colour, and pretty similar, we won't have all the racial issues. I'd gladly surrender uniqueness in order to avoid uncomfortable racial tension.

 

[QuitBanningMe]

Originally posted by: Nebor

Originally posted by: 91TTZ

Originally posted by: rh71
<-- can't wait till the day everyone's a mix.

Are you really THAT politically correct that you just want everyone to interbreed? Do you really strive for a day when everyone looks the same and there's no variety? I think the world would be a boring place like that. Unless you're one of those people who hates those who look different than you and thinks they should be assimilated.

I agree with rh71. Once we're all the same colour, and pretty similar, we won't have all the racial issues. I'd gladly surrender uniqueness in order to avoid uncomfortable racial tension.

That is such BS