There are millions of Black people in the world that come from all sorts of cultural backgrounds, colors, and ethnicities. From all walks of life, whether Ugandan, Ethiopian, Nigerian, or Haitian to name a few, there is special beauty behind every story that encompasses a diverse range of experiences, struggles, and triumphs. Those with a high concentration of melanin, which determines skin pigmentation, are without a doubt prone to experience racism, discrimination, and prejudice as a result of their skin, making the scope of embracing darker skin tones in the world and the U.S. a journey we’re not yet done with. And though there are some who say that the color of our skin doesn’t matter, in many cases, it actually does, as it not only highlights who we are as a people but our testaments to life and our ancestors before us.
As a community of over 7.8 billion people, there are a plethora of different ideations of race regarding the color of our skin. From Albinism to the darkest shade of brown, there is so much beauty to be found in melanin skin, therefore pushing our expectations and limitations of what defines true beauty. So, who exactly is the darkest person in the world? Ahead, we’ve gathered everything there is to know.
Who is the darkest man in the world?
An unidentified African man considered to be the darkest male in the world
@EmmanuelNkano/ Twitter
Believed to be the darkest man in the world, a picture of an African man went viral after people around the world claimed him to be the darkest man on earth. And though this gentleman’s name is unidentified, he is surely worthy of the title as his skin is as deep as a bar of dark chocolate. His beautiful deep brown complexion has sparked an internet frenzy and is surely redefining how we view limiting beauty standards. No one exactly knows how his image was found or the purpose it was used for at the time. However, his picture is proof of how many variations of Black people there actually are in the world and could even possibly indicate complexions that have yet to be discovered.
Who is the darkest woman in the world?
@queennyakimofficial/ Instagram
The darkest woman in the world is a well-known model named Nyakim Gatwech. As a descendant from South Sudan, Gatwech is known for her beautiful complexion and striking features. Her nickname according to her fans is “Queen of Dark,” and she dealt with a lot of self-confidence issues pertaining to her skin as a result of others color shaming her. Her fans and social media platform have helped her gain confidence and allowed her to feel accepted. Her mantra serves as a great life philosophy for those having trouble accepting their own skin and rebuking American beauty standards. “Black is bold, black is beautiful, black is gold. Don’t let American standards damage your African soul,” she said on her social media.
How they’re redefining societal beauty standards
queennyakimofficial / Instagram
There are always limiting images of beauty that often praises lighter skin tones and complections within the Black community. And though we have a long way to go when it comes to embracing Black people from all walks of life, these two individuals serve as a prime example of what it means to rebuke Westernized beauty standards that only show one or a few depictions of beauty.