Are there any black people with Asperger's syndrome?

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Of course there are. (Is this actually a serious question?) People can be Black, Brown, Red, Yellow, White or a mix and have an ASD. I'm sure there might be certain groups where it is more prevalent than others but there are none where it's completely non-existent. The spectrum doesn't care what your color, sex, gender, or creed is; its only requirement is that you are a member of the Homo Sapiens species.

I'm also an African-American male who has membership on Wrong Planet, and also has been diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder at a very young age.

I'm a black person and I have it. I'm of the African race and I have autism. Thing is, whites were the ones to identify me as being autistic. Blacks would simply say, "you have an old soul", you're gullible etc. Blacks don't look at themselves the same way whites do. Whites are constantly trying tear each other apart, put themselves above others within their group. I feel like European culture is founded upon being as mean and selfish as you possibly can. It's about finding someway to have an advantage over someone else. Also, Europeans tend to spend more time alone than most blacks. I'm "weird" but blacks accept my differences and treat me as a person. They won't even allow me to suggest I have autism. Also, blacks tend to be diagnosed later or with something different than white people. I read something in the nytimes which said the diagnostic rate is increasing among hispanics and african americans. Of course, because autism is seen as something related to intelligence, a characteristic which is valued in European culture, blacks will be seen not having it, and whites will be seen as the only ones who do have it. I didn't know I had it until my niece was diagnosed with it. Then, of course, I saw that my father was on the spectrum, my uncles and possibly an aunt. Blacks are viewed in very simplistic, mystical language which comes out of feudalism, so it's hard for people to be honest when it comes to disorders that afflict us. I imagine their are other blacks who are on the spectrum who are not diagnosed.

I wonder if it's less diagnosed in minorities because of some discriminatory view that it's just white men who are geeky, or something?

I can easily see how this prejudice could arise.

If they ever carve the aspie Mount Rushmore it would have to have one or two Black faces: among Einstein, Newton, and Bill Gates, would have to be Be Bop composer Thelonius Monk (atleast), and probably his contemporary in the same genre: Charlie Parker.

I'm black and I have Aspergers.

Im not black but Ill tell ya this Aspergers knows no ethnicity to those born with it, it just happens! Anyone can be born with it regardless of ethnicity! The sad part though is as a result you will be treated like an outsider by just ebout everyone even from others of your own ethnic background, because they dont understand you and alot refuse to understand you! Not only dealing with racist slurs you be dealt with by more slurs like ret*d rainman or freak, usually when they find out you have autism they will either call you a ret*d or maybe rainman but when one displays great intelligence the word changes to freak, we cant win! Slowly but surely there is more acceptance but its a long and slow process!

I wonder if RDOS has any convenient explanations for the rate of autism in children of Somali immigrants in Minnesota.

I don't think that current research provides any accurate numbers as to the rate of autism in people of African descent and available numbers are confounded by factors such as how racial prejudice and economic realities (many of which are compounded by racial prejudice and cannot be easily separated) impact access to medical care in general, as well as how or whether children from any given demographic are being reliably evaluated for autism.

Given that many on this forum seem to think that the figures published regarding male:female ratios must be accurate, despite the fact that empirical data suggests that girls are less likely to be taken seriously or evaluated for autism than boy, I think that there's even less chance that most white people here are likely to have an idea of prevalence of autism among black people that is not in some way, directly or indirectly, influenced by fallacious "common knowledge" about race.

If currently understood demographics indicate a lower diagnosis rate, that would suggest to me that perhaps it would be appropriate to engage in a more thorough investigation to insure that people are not slipping through the cracks and not receiving support and accommodations they may need. I would not simply assume that the numbers I do have are the whole of the story and go about my business.

I'm black and unofficially diagnosed. AS was suggested when I was diagnosed with a learning disability at a college which most people would give their leg to go to. I struggled there from day one. I denied the suggestion back then which was an obvious mistake. I was borderline and statistical noise could've explained the diagnosis but now that I'm more mathematically sophisticated I know that noise could've just as easily have understated my status. I didn't want to hear it because I knew it would be the kiss of death in the "black community" in general and my family in specific. All they do is lie and deny. I was originally diagnosed with a learning disorder when I was 7 but my parents didn't tell me about it. They claim it was because they thought I wouldn't try to make anything of myself if I knew. In reality I know it was because they were and still are ashamed of me. They wouldn't acknowledge the learning disability despite getting a small educational grant for it in college so I know they wouldn't acknowledge aspergers (I think my Mom is on the spectrum as well). I've given up a significant chunk of my life (my teens and 20s) trying to win at a game that's been rigged against me in more ways than one. My parents also grew up in the Jim Crow south and were determined that I not have any opportunities that they didn't have. De facto this meant imposing Jim Crow on me.

I am black (mixed race) and I have been diagnosed with asperger.

I'm black.

Black aspie reporting.

I have no factual evidence other than my own experiences to support my claim, but I believe that autism is not recognized in the black community. If anything is thought of to be odd in a child, unless it is totally crippling, for the most part is ignored. My older brother was diagnosed with ADD by three different doctors. My parents refuse to acknowledge it. They only accepted his dyslexia because there was no way to deny that he can only read upside down.