THE SCIENCE OF MELANIN 2nd Edition

[Baba Ahmed]

I'm taking liberty to post excerpts from brutha Dr. T.Owens Moore, the author, without his expressed permission. I forgot to ask, for as he was autographing my copy on 9.3.04 and then I read what he wrote; he left. This is his note: "To my brother Baba Ahmed, Your beautiful Black spirit drives me on! In the struggle, Dr. T.O. Wms."

I've noticed, maybe incorrectly, that there're a few regular posters here who seem to either b confused re melanin or have some doubts as to its reality, affects and effects for whatever reason. Beginning with Dr. Moore's Preface, I intend to drop a little info here, not to convince anyone of anything; but to share some of his thoughts and reports.
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PREFACE

Pigmentation is the common role attributed to melanin. People come in a variety of colors and the amount of melanin in the skin is the main factor that determines color variations. Therefore, to discuss melanin as a pigment for skin coloring is not controversial. To provide evidence that melanin can have a role other than skin pigmentation is where controversy may exist.

There are some scientists who study melanin inside the body whereas other scientists explore the effects of melanin outside of the body. For example, carbon-based fibers used to develop aircraft and spacecraft have revolutionized the flight industry. As a dark pigment, melanin can absorb energy in the electromagnetic field and also protect metal from intense heat. Likewise, melanin can have significant effects anywhere in the body where energy processing occurs.

While at Howard, I had the fortunate opportunity to spend hours reading literature and attending lectures pertaining to African history and culture. In the course of my search for knowledge of self, the topic of melanin kept surfacting. Since my area of specialty was brain and behavior relationships, I attempted to make sense out of the laterature and presentations on melanin. I came to the realization that much of the information on melanin from an African-centered perspective was misleading. With the intention of elucidating this most important and complex topic, I have studied topics related to melanin since 1987.

I encountered numerous shallow and superficial critiques of melanin research. The misinformed and often ignorant criticism came from both white and nonwhite critics alike. Interestingly, the harsher attacks have been launched mostly by people with little scientific preparation. I felt it to be my duty to provide serious information on the subject. Many of my elders and scholarly mentors suggested that I stay away from the topic, lest I be labled a 'psuedoscientist.' However, I felt a strong call to respond to the intellectual world. So as a conscious African living in America, I have mae it my work to presentthis document on melanin. If African-centered researchers make no legitimate responses to the vicious attacks upon this most important field of study (Ortiz de Montellano, 1993), African-centered scientists will receive inappropriate negative publicity.

Unfortunately, the controversy over melanin research has intesified. The topic has received considerable attention from the white media. For example, author Leon Jaroff (1994) worte an excoriating article, 'Teaching Reverse Racism' in Time magazine. The underlying message is that most black scholars who teach black studies are using a strange doctrine of 'black superiority' when they discuss melanin. Essentially, Jaroff believes... '[In] a society that has treated blacks as inferior because of the color of their skin, it is hardly surprising that many of them now embrace a melanist doctrine. But in doing so, they are indulging in what they have long decried: racism.' Those who run the white power structure commonly use reverse rhetoric to castigate the self-affirming viewpoints of African-centered scholars. In other words, whites project their own racism onto us in order to avoid their insecurities. Henceforth, many insecure white people believe that any Black-African consciousness, history or related information is 'racism' in reverse."

{cont'd below}

[BabaYaw]

hotep

baba ahmed

i want the rest on this i am not to knowledgable about melanin heard some things here and there

hotep
asante sana
free the land
baba yaw

[Baba Ahmed]

I have not written this book to persuade some who may be conceptually, shall we say, incarcerated. African and African-American scholars must go beyond trying to change the mentality of people who have been indoctrinated from birth to believe that people of European descent are superior. The open-minded person who is able to read objectively will learn the most from this book. The close-minded, who maintains a priori conclusions that melanin is a farce, will miss out on a learning experience. Since some people have limited knowledge about melanin and some people do not care to know, I hope this book will serve as a resource to stimulate and 'endarken' the world on the physiological importance of melanin function.

Here at the outset, it should be emphasized that the human body is not just two legs, two arms, a trunk and a head. The human body is a vehicle that can carry human beings, toward optimal physical and spiritual health. Western science does not study or teach that the human body can be a vehicle for this transformation. The primary focus of Western science is control. Generation after generation of physicians are trained to master their patient's life through external control; control mechanisms like drugs, psychotherapy,hospitalization, and surgery are the mainstay of Western medicine. Through this process of control, the medical-pharmaceutical-indurstrial complex grows rich while patients become poor. To improve individual health, more emphasis should be placed on prevention. A responsible and efficient medical system advises individuals on how to avert illness, not on how to besiege a patient only after an illness develops. By enriching your body through diet, nutrition, meditation and positive thinking, you can avoid illnesses and mximize your health. We will look at how melanin can help.

....

Although I did not write The Science of Melanin in defense of melanin research, it was, indeed a response to melanin critics. That is, it offered substantive scientific evidence of the importance of melanin functioning in accounting for some of the physiological, psychological and behavioral differences among ethnic groups. In this second edition, information is added to highlight contemporary views and research on the topic... We will review research that explains melanin's ability to organize our cells from the earliest stages of embryological development, maximize the performance of our physiological systems, and prolong our lives. We will review scientific articles on melanin research. This book'smain goals are not only to capture the attention of scientists who want to pursue melanin research, but also to inform non-academicians.

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{Baba Note: To be cont'd}

[Warrior Princess]

Toppuhdemawnintuhyoo, my precious Babaloo. 8) Too bad my printer is jacked up right now. Anyway, appreciluv the article.. Hey, have you read "(The Science of) Melanin: A Key To Freedom" by Dr. Richard King? His name has been changed to a Kemetic one (& I believe that he was a student of Ra Un Nefer Amen).. If not, you would LOVE that! Also, have any of you read or heard much about "Jazzy Melanin" by Carol Barnes?

[Baba Ahmed]

ahhhh yeah granddauti - i b chill'n over heah, frances had a lil to do wid it... computer was sputtering early in the a.m. i was tempted to reveal my special name for u ... ain't gwan do it doe...

stay tuned re Dr. King AND Barnes; those two names are major reasons this book was written. They, Dr. Welsing & Malachi Andrews' p.o.v. are briefly examined from a scientific perspective. And cites Shaykh (cheikh in english) Anta Diop, "...as a model for all scientists to follow." I'm a familiar with Dr. Welsing's works; never heard of Andrews.

Right long in here tho, a higher force is call'n: family!

Later on, and shem hetepu


watoo ma boori



GHANA'S JUST ONE NATION AMONG MANY WITH OPEN ARMS FOR US...

[Baba Ahmed]

Originally Posted by Warrior Princess

Toppuhdemawnintuhyoo, my precious Babaloo. 8) Too bad my printer is jacked up right now. Anyway, appreciluv the article.. Hey, have you read "(The Science of) Melanin: A Key To Freedom" by Dr. Richard King? His name has been changed to a Kemetic one (& I believe that he was a student of Ra Un Nefer Amen).. If not, you would LOVE that! Also, have any of you read or heard much about "Jazzy Melanin" by Carol Barnes?

N.F.S.S. - powerful peace to u ana top of life for u -

As u realize, I post from many authors to help publicize their views and to spur purchase of their books, while hoping the info'll b useful to help us along our ways.

How 'bout this? I'll post listing of its CONTENTS u choose which chpt or two is most relevant to this site; then I'll post selected excerpts.

Whacha think?

[Warrior Princess]

Originally Posted by Baba Ahmed

Whacha think?

I think that my baba is precious. Wutz poppin', Popz? 8)

[Baba Ahmed]

I hope y'all kno there's a tru afrikan wombman spirit wordsmithress in our midsts...

y'all 'cuse my use of "wordsmithtress" tryna look edjumacated to indicate that a she b real she... just a wuurd tho.

the message is in the meanings....

[Baba Ahmed]

Due to popular command of one: Baba Yaw; and one coy implication: N.F.S.S.,the following is submitted re The Science of Melanin, by T. Owens Moore, Ph.D. [aiiight WP & Baba Yaw choose]

CONTENTS


PART ONE – OVERVIEW

1. Origins of Hueman……………………………………†¦â€¦â€¦..........3
2. A Critical Analysis of Melanin Research……………………...7
3. The Biology of Blackness…………………………………†¦........25
4. The Advantages of Melanin Functioning……………………..31


PART TWO – MELANIN PHYSIOLOGY

5. Melanin and the Nervous System…………………………….....45
6. Melanin and the Endocrine System………………………….....52
7. Melanin and the Visual System………………………………......63
8. Melanin and the Auditory and Vestibular Systems……….69
9. Melanin and the Skin………………………………………⠀¦..........82
10. Melanin and Early Childhood Development………………….100

PART THREE – FUTURE OUTLOOK

11. The Material-Spiritual Connection……………………………111
12. Melanin and Psychomotor Skill Dominance……………….129
13. Melanin and the Marketplace………………………………… ..137
14. Prospective Research…………………………………… …….....142

References…………………………………⠀¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦..........153
List of Illustrations………………………………⠀¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦.......171

[S-1]

Originally Posted by Baba Ahmed

Due to popular command of one: Baba Yaw; and one coy implication: N.F.S.S.,the following is submitted re The Science of Melanin, by T. Owens Moore, Ph.D. [aiiight WP & Baba Yaw choose]

CONTENTS


PART ONE – OVERVIEW

1. Origins of Hueman……………………………………†¦â€¦â€¦..........3
2. A Critical Analysis of Melanin Research……………………...7
3. The Biology of Blackness…………………………………†¦........25
4. The Advantages of Melanin Functioning……………………..31


PART TWO – MELANIN PHYSIOLOGY

5. Melanin and the Nervous System…………………………….....45
6. Melanin and the Endocrine System………………………….....52
7. Melanin and the Visual System………………………………......63
8. Melanin and the Auditory and Vestibular Systems……….69
9. Melanin and the Skin………………………………………⠀¦..........82
10. Melanin and Early Childhood Development………………….100

PART THREE – FUTURE OUTLOOK

11. The Material-Spiritual Connection……………………………111
12. Melanin and Psychomotor Skill Dominance……………….129
13. Melanin and the Marketplace………………………………… ..137
14. Prospective Research…………………………………… …….....142

References…………………………………⠀¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦..........153
List of Illustrations………………………………⠀¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦.......171

So do you agree that whites are genetically mutated afrikans or not?

[Baba Ahmed]

What in hell are you talking about? How does your question relate to brutha T. Owens Moore's book? That's the topic. If u want to argue about who is mutated and who isn't, take it to another thread. NOT HERE!

Now be respectful, I'm not here in MY COLUMN nor at this site to argue religious doctrines. I'm here to learn about and further Pan Afrikanism per an Afrikan Centered viewpoint. Not an Asiatic Black man's viewpoint. Now that I do not accept. If anything it'd be An Black Afrikan Asiatic man. Now please do yourself and me a favor take your argument to some other space(s).

Peace!

Kwame

[Mekeda7]

Baba Ahmed
Many thank you's for providing this useful info. Moore's stuff is off the chain! I read and reread his stuff, a most essential read for Afrikan people who are serious about knowing the wealth that we all carry as melanated people!

Once again, medase pa, for bringing forth these pieces of jewels for us...speaking of Jewels, u ever thought of transcribing Dr Jewel Pookrum's lectures???? Now that would be BlackNificent!!!

Uhuru!