I used to think that black people were white people who painted themselves.

Asheville, NC

I mustve been about 6 or 7 and my Cousin had been abroad on holiday somewhere hot, his skin was blistering and peeling. He told me that a massive blister had popped on his arm and lots of little red spiders ran out of it. I was terrified of getting sunburnt from then on

Rachel

My little brother thinks Dave Matthews is black. We've argued about this many times and he has been shown pictures of him, but he thinks I'm just trying to trick him.

Anon

i remember as a child i had received a sunburn and the resulting peeling became scary. i thought the peeling would continue until i looked like a halloween skeleton.

karen

I used to believe that people who were african american were dark because they drank to much hot cocoa.

Anon

When I was three, I lived in Kenya. One day, I saw a bus full of black girls dressed in white dresses heading for Church. I told my mother "look at all the white children, mom!" because I believed that people were considered black or white based on the color of their clothing, not the color of their skin.

Nicole

As a young, näive white boy growing up in a small town in northeast Ohio, I used to think that when someone shook the hand of a Black/African-American/Colored/Negro person (this was back in the 60s, ok? -- edit if you must!), that the color would somehow come off their hand and stick on yours, though I was certain that it could be washed off.

Tim S.

My belief is similar to Pattys' about white and black people. I use to think that black people are only black because they ate alot of chocolate. I wanted to be black!

aj

I used to believe my father was a different race than I am. I am caucasian, and I'm very fair-skinned. My father works outdoors, so he has a year-round "farmer tan" on his arms and face. I thought he was LITERALLY HALF African American.

Amanda

Growing up in a largely white area, I got the impression that all black
people were born in hot counties; obviously, they were born white, and
got such strong tans that they ended up black. People in England stayed
white because of the crappy weather!

Ollie

my friends big brother told me that black people tasted of chocolate and white people tasted of vanilla, like ice cream.

Anon

I used to believe if I was touched or rubbed up against by an
afro-american, the brown would rub off on me. Thanks to my embarrasingly RACIST parents for that fear. Thank GOD I outgrew that belief! No thanks to THEM! Egads.

Anon

On a day out at the beach when I was young and obviously hyperactive, I was told (and believed) that I would only get a suntan if I lay very still and was very very quiet - took me years to work that one out....

Minnie