Jackson gained fame as a member of The Jackson 5 with his siblings and went on to become one of the most successful solo artists in history.
Although he had fair skin later in life, the ‘Billie Jean’ singer was African-American and had a darker complexion when he first rose to fame.
Reports indicate that he had vitiligo, a chronic condition marked by depigmented white patches on the skin, according to the NHS. This condition is what led to Jackson’s skin lightening over time.
Before his death, Jackson had a rare conversation with talk show host Oprah Winfrey, during which he openly discussed his skin condition and expressed pride in his African-American heritage.
He declared, “I’m a Black American. I am proud to be a Black American. I am proud of my race, and I am proud of who I am. I have a lot of pride and dignity in who I am.”
He explained, “This is the situation: I have a skin disorder that affects the pigmentation of my skin. It’s something I can’t control, okay?”
