<HTML>Don, please forgive me if my reply is rather brief. The colour of a person's skin is related to the amount of solar radiation received in different parts of the earth, hence the contrasting black and white skins (and indeed the difference between the white white skins of England and the very deep rich white brown skins of Afrikaners in South Africa, and between blacks themselves in Africa).
As to the colour of our common ancestor, well that would also depend on whether they came from southern Africa or East Africa. The best guess is a dark brown colour.
The origin of skin colour is a legitimate scientific enquiry, particularly as science doesn't regard a link between skin colour and intelligence any longer as being valid.
Black, white or yellow? Probably a combination !
Mike.</HTML>
