“Desiree’s Baby” is a very moving story that shows us the horror of racism, but is it scientifically accurate?

Questions

1. According to the story, Madame Valamonde and Armand noticed the baby’s dark skin several weeks before Desiree. Can you offer a possible explanation for this gradual increase in pigmentation over the course of three months?
2. Assuming the inheritance of skin color in “Desiree’s Baby” follows the simple dominant/recessive pattern described by Mendel, is dark pigmentation best explained as an example of a dominant or recessive allele?
3. Assign suitable symbols for each allele and use the information in the story to develop possible genotypes for Desiree, Armand, and the baby.
4. Consider the skin pigmentation of biracial individuals, such as Halle Berry, Lenny Kravits, Mariah Carey, or “The Rock.” Can these phenotypes (skin colors) be explained by the same Mendelian model?

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