Esther Blackmon's Journey With Ichthyosis
When talking about human marvels, it won’t be long before someone mentions Esther Blackmon, also known as the Alligator Girl. Her photo is perhaps one of history's most well-known images of any human marvel.
She featured in several movies in the 1970s and earned the well-intentioned but ultimately derogatory title of ‘World’s Strangest Mother’.
So, who was Esther Blackmon? What made her famous, and how did she earn such a distinctive nickname? This article will cover everything you need to know about Esther Blackmon, the Alligator Girl.
Who Was Esther Blackmon?
Photo credit: Fandom
Esther Blackmon (originally Esther Parnell) was born in Kenly, North Carolina, on the 5th of March, 1926. She was one of six children in her family.
Both she and her older brother William were born with the same condition - Ichthyosis. Ichthyosis is a rare condition that causes the skin to become dry and cracked, creating a scaly appearance.
There are many different forms of the condition. Esther and William’s condition also stunted their hair growth. Ichthyosis can impact hair on your head as well as eyebrows and eyelashes. While this condition did not impact bodily functions at all, people ostracized the siblings for their appearance.
How Did Esther Get the Nickname 'Alligator Girl'?
Ichthyosis has its origins in the Greek word for fish, but due to the severity of the siblings’ condition, people often compared them to alligators. This is where Esther got her nickname, ‘The Alligator Girl.’
Seeking to capitalize on their growing fame, William and Esther Parnell began their exhibition careers. It wasn’t long before they signed up with a circus.
William became known as Aloa the Alligator Boy, and Esther became known as Alice the Alligator Girl. Despite not being twins, the two became known as ‘The Alligator-Skinned Twins.’
This was done to boost the pair’s exoticism. Most agree that in a Barnum-esque fashion, many lies and exaggerations were spread to draw crowds to their performances.
Living With Ichthyosis
Unfortunately, William died in 1959. This was supposedly due to his alcoholism over his condition.
Esther, on the other hand, excelled as the years went by. At the age of 22, she took Thomas Blackmon as her husband and gained the title of ‘World’s Strangest Mother’ when she gave birth to her first child.
Blackmon became a member of the Greater Tampa Showmens’ Association and was part of the industry for 56 years. This included featuring in two movies: The Mutations (1973) and The Sentinel (1977).
The Mutations featured Dr. Who star Tom Baker, and The Sentinel featured fellow human marvels Robert Melvin and Bill Durks. If you’re interested in tracking down her movies, it is worth noting that The Mutations was also released as The Freakmaker.
Sadly, Esther died in 2003 on the 24th of August. Her wonderful legacy is a family of seven children, 16 grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. Her death came twelve days after her husband Thomas passed away.
Conclusion
We hope you’ve learned some new information about this remarkable woman. If this was your first introduction to Esther Blackmon - we hope you’ve been fascinated by her.
It’s easy to agree that people with skin conditions like ichthyosis deserve to live normal lives in the current day.
However, that wasn’t always the case. As such, Esther Blackmon’s life stands as an example of standing tall despite what others think of you. For more inspiring tales of amazing people with unusual stories, check out Phreeque.com.