Michael Jackson did NOT try to change his skin color. Jackson had Vitiligo, an autoimmune disease that destroys the pigment (Melanin) in skin. It spreads and eventually turns darker skin to transparent where it looks white compared to the surrounding skin. Vitiligo runs in the Jackson family.

Initially Jackson tried to use dark makeup on the splotches that were devoid of Melanin to even out his skin color. As the Vitiligo Universalis spread and destroyed more and more Melanin, it made more sense to use light makeup on the dark spots.

Jackson struggled with Vitiligo his whole adult life. Imagine how humiliating it was for a proud Black man (yes, he was) who makes a living on stage, to have a skin condition that affected his appearance. Jackson also had Lupus Erythematosus, which made sunburn and 3rd degree burns from exposure a real threat to Jackson’s health.

It seems egregiously irresponsible for a journalist (?) to not only believe the tabloid narrative of Jackson’s life, but to parrot that myth in mainstream media. A nominal bit of research would reveal the truth about Jackson’s skin condition but apparently that is too tedious to undertake for a writer? It’s not only unacceptable; it’s shameful.