In my current work, my clientele is predominantly African-American. Skin color remains a convenient way to describe people and there are multiple terms to describe various shades of skin tone. The term "yellow" or "high yellow" continue to be used and commonly describe skin that is quite light, but which has a definite yellow hue. There is no longer references to "quadroon", "octaroon", or other labels that indicate percentages of European-American heritage versus African-American heritage. First, few people know their heritage that well, but more importantly people now realize that those percentages do not predict a specific skin color. Many modern African-American families have siblings with multiple hues who come from the same parents. One need only look at pictures of the descendants of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings. Many of the family members did not even know they had any African-American heritage until other relatives told them.

Skin color remains a basis of discrimination and prejudice in the United States, even, at times, within the African-American community.

And now, Doctor John, you probably know more than you really wanted to know.

Roger in Baltimore