The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1893-02-17
FROM BLACK TO WHITE.
A CoIored Man Whose Skin is Rapidly
Bleaching.
Only a Portion of His Face Remains to
Indicate That He Was Not
Always White.

There isa man employed at low-pIiced,
hard labor in this city who-but for con-
sclentIous scruples against exhibiting
himself as a 'freak''-has it in his power
TO become comparatively wealthy in his
OLD age and IN very easy way.
Up to year or so ago he was about as
black man as one would find in a day.
search-at least several shades darker
than the average colored man-while to-
day person can cover with his two
hands the only dark spot on the mans
body.
1t is simply a case of a colored man
turning white-not partially so, nor in
spots, but absolutely white from the top
OF his head to the soles of his feet.
A REcoRD-UNIoN reporter, who is well
acquainted with the man, had not seen
him for some ten years until yesterday.
When he last saw him he was very black,
but now, as before stated, there is but one
dark spot on him, and that is rapidly dis
appearing. AT the rate the TRANSFORMED
ton has been going on, it is expected that
few months more will witness the dis
appearance of the last vestige of color.
The name and residence of the man is
withheld from publication out of con-
sideration for his feelings. for he abhors
the idea of his becoming q subject of
curiosity. His home has been in Sacra-
mento County for forty-two years, with
the exception of few years spent in Ne
vada.
He is now 66 years old. He was born
in Illinois, was slave in Missouri, and
came TO this State with the son and family
OF his former master. Even though his
skin had never changed, he would have
remained, as he is, one OF the "whtest"
men that ever lived-the very soul of
honor and uprightness.
These traits were illustrated Yesterday
when he said to the reporter:
Why, Lor' bless yer, Mistah -,
dere's been er man arter me fer months
ter let i'm show me on der stage. He
| offered me er hundred dollars er month
an all expenses, but 1 wouldn't do itv'
Don't you think you were wrong
", in declining such an offer? Just
think OF 1t; you would get rich in few
years; and not have to work till you died
of old age"
.'Scuse me, Mistah -" replied the
old darby, with a flash of pride in his
face, Pm jis what God MADE me, an l
think too much er my dead mother ter
Zibit myself befo' er crowd er people,
jis because my skins er changing from
black ter white. Why, they want to take
me ter Their Worlds Fair, but 1 won't go;
oh, no, I'd rather work hard and earn my
Twin 'ones'ly than do that!'
WELL" said the reporter, You'll soon
be as white as anyone, V, and you're
old friends won't know you.''
No no. Mistah -" he replied, "I'Il
me er coon, am er coon I'll have ter be,
even if my skin is white. Yer see. /
can't never git aroun' this" and raising
his cap showed a thick crop of white
wool on his head. I can't never git
aroun' this, L reckonw
Opening his wooden shirt, he exposed
chest and shoulders as white and deli
cately tinted as those of the whitest of
babes. His hands, arms and legs are
equally white-even his scalp. There
isn't black spot nor discoloration on
him, except from his eyebrows to his
chin, and he says the white line is NOV
ing gradually onward. His nose has al
ready begun to bleach. The change was
covered by clothing. The face being ex-
posed, appears to have resisted some
what the bleaching process, owing to the
toughness of the skin.
On being asked to what cause he at
tributed the remarkable change, he said
it may have been the effect of the absorp-
ton of chemicals used in his work, which
is that of cleansing wood and iron, in
factory, to prepare them for the painters.
He admitted to the reporter, however,
that his mothers mother was white
woman, whose husband was a Cherokee
Indian. His own mother was quite
dark, while his father was a colored man.
Thus it is possible that by some strange
process of nature the trace of white blood
in his veins is asserting itself, notwith-
standing the sixty-siX years he has lived
a colored man.
He is strong, vigorous man yet, and
looks as If ne was good for twenty years
more ofactive life.