Child of a mixed race couple ???

Question

Biologically/Genetically speaking, what exactly is it that determines the colour of a baby's skin, if he/she was a result of sex between mixed race couple.

Kelly Holmes was born to a Black male & White female, but looks COMPLETE black without any looks of "mixed race", while in other cases, I've seen the baby looking "more white" or "more black" or "mixed" (if you catch my drift).

Surely, it couldn't possibly be the sex-drive of one over the other, I'd have thought (if I may say so).

Before people around with a pea-sized intellect beat the drum of me being racist, let me assure them that this is purely not the case, since the reason behind the question itself is to know it's Genetic/Biologic reason, just as the question suggest (which many clearly fail to notice, I'm afraid).

Answer 1

I took biology a while ago.. but I'm pretty sure it's just a matter of genes.. the skin color was probably determined by the combination of genes the parents gave her. Males genes are usually dominant.. that could explain why the girl was more black than white.

TO THE OTHER COMMENTERS: Read what this person is asking.. it has nothing to do with being racist.. YOU are the STUPID people!! Get an education so you can understand what people are asking!!

Answer 2

just like a white / white couple or black / black couple. differences are there due the more dominant chromosomes. Dormant genes or recessive genes can come out at any time. If both people have similar features then the possibility is more of similarly. If different races and nationalities, many unique combinations can occur. Some sexes have dominance in some general areas, such as baldness comes from the mother as a rule, but once again, not always

Answer 3

Kelly Holmes, the runner, you mean? Perhaps we should revise our definitions of "full black." Blacks in the U.S. and U.K. are almost always mixed with white blood (and Native American in the U.S.). Don't confuse full African with "full Black."

On one hand, I say it's your genealogy. A person you might look at as "white" could have black (or anything else) blood way back in the day and it may come out in his/her children. Surprise!

You never know what's really in someone's history. Look at Wentworth Miller, Mariah Carey. See mixedfolks.com for some more surprises.

On the other hand, I say it's just luck of the draw.

I once had an acquaintance named Elizabeth Serrano. Puerto Rican girl but she had white skin, freckles, red hair and green eyes. Her parents were brown with dark hair, dark eyes. When Liz told people her last name, they were like Huh? Nuh uh. Turns out she had some German in there somewhere.

Oprah actually covered this topic a while ago also. An actor who used to pitch Pepsi in a popular but old commercial and who looked like Jason Alexander of Seinfeld fame said he was black and his parents (If I recall what he said) looked undeniably so. He just came out white.

But then again, I wish we didn't have to put one another in boxes.

Ah well.

Answer 4

It's all down to genetic make-up and which parent's genes dominate. This is fairly random. Things get even more complicated if one or both of the parents are mixed race.
I know a couple. The man is white English, the woman is Creole from Mauritius. Creoles are a mixture of African, Asian and European. They had four children. One is white but has dark patches on his torso. One is white but with afro hair. One looks like a high caste Indian. The youngest looks "mixed race".

Answer 5

Genetics, doesn't matter is one parent is black and the other is white, the black parent might come from a background of white or mixed race and the child comes out white and vice versa. Also depends on white race has the strong genes determinds skin colour

Answer 6

Genetically, skin color is determined by a number of genes - 14-17 I've heard. So most interracial children end up somewhere between their parents in terms of skin tone, since one parent's gene will dominate some genes and the other parent's other genes. I'm mixed race - Polish-American father and Filipino mother, and my skin tone is right in between my parents. I do have some cousins that are closer to one or the other, but for the most part we're all right in between

Answer 7

It just has to do with genes.
It's like, how do kids get blue eyes when both parents have brown.
If both parents carry a gene for blue eyes, then those blue-eye genes can become dominant, giving the child blue eyes.
I believe it would be the same for skin tone or features.
Mostly though, no matter what race, children tend to take after their mothers. I have no idea why, that's just the most common circumstance.

Answer 8

humans are just like any other species in the animal world ,take a look at lets say boxer dogs,the ideal dog for a breeder is the brindle but sometimes they throw back to a white or black,no matter what colour it's still a dog the same as it's still a human being

Answer 9

My son who is mixed I am white my husband is black has a darker skin color then out friends that are both black there daughter is whiter then me. It all depends all genes in your family.

Answer 10

Maybe it's in the parents' family background/heritage. I dont have a scientific answer but thats all I can think of