Gabrielle Union
Union in 2011, s_bukley / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Gabrielle Monique Union
Place of Birth: Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Date of Birth: October 29, 1972
Ethnicity: African-American
Gabrielle Union is an American actress and model.
She is the daughter of Theresa and Sylvester Union. Her parents are both African-American. Her mother descends from the prominent Bryant-Fisher African-American family in Nebraska. Gabrielle is married to professional basketball player Dwayne Wade, with whom she has a daughter.
Gabrielle is a first cousin, once removed, of rapper and songwriter Saweetie. Gabrielle’s maternal grandparents, John Glass and Gloria G. Davis, were also Saweetie’s paternal great-grandparents.
Gabrielle’s paternal grandfather was Sylvester Union, Sr. (the son of The Rev. Frank Union and Betsey/Betsy Smith/Johnson). Sylvester was born in Florida. The Rev. Frank was the son of Shedrick Union and Henrietta Boykins. Betsey was the daughter of Andrew Johnson and Christo.
Gabrielle’s paternal grandmother was Etta Helen Nails (the daughter of Clarence Nails and Roxie Abram). Etta Helen was born in Oklahoma. Clarence was the son of Alexander Nails/Nail and Rosa McCoy. Roxie was the daughter of Charley/Charles Abram and Tobitha Anderson.
Gabrielle’s maternal grandfather was John Glass (born John Washington, the son of Charles Washington and Ora Belle Daniels). John was born in California. Ora was the daughter of Charles Daniels and Mattie Ingram.
Gabrielle’s maternal grandmother was Gloria G. Davis (the daughter of Virgil Davis and Myrtle Mae Fisher). Gloria was born in Nebraska. Virgil was the son of David Davis and Grace. Myrtle was the daughter of Frank Fisher and Emma Early.
In an interview, Gabrielle stated that she checked her ancestry and discovered that she has West African, Filipino, and Native American heritage. It is not clear if this Filipino and/or Native American ancestry has been verified/documented. No such lineage appears among Gabrielle’s recent ancestors. Gabrielle’s statements may be based on some kind of DNA test that she undertook (i.e., one that stated she has “Native American” and/or “Asian” ancestry).
Sources: Genealogy of Gabrielle Union – http://www.geni.com
Gabrielle’s paternal grandfather, Sylvester Union, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Sylvester Union on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Gabrielle’s paternal grandmother, Etta Helen Nails, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Etta Helen Nails on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Gabrielle’s maternal grandfather, John Glass, on the 1940 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Gabrielle’s maternal great-grandmother, Ora Belle Daniels, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Obituary of Gabrielle’s maternal great-grandmother, Ora Belle (Daniels) Washington Glass – http://www.nehca.org
Gabrielle’s maternal grandmother, Gloria G. Davis, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
75% African, 25% European.
really?she looks 90% african.
@Dogg, no way in heck she is 25% European. Again, I think people have to inject European into pretty black women. For some odd reason. She does look 90% Negroid.
@Dogg, light skinned and greene eyed, sandy haired model Tyra banks is not even 25% caucasian, Tyra’s DNA test was 18% caucasian, so how do you see 25% on Gabriel?
She looks multiracial, black, Asian, and white.
She just looks Black tbh.
She could be part NA and Filipino. Her eyes look a little Asian.
Sweetie just letting you know that Black people have small eyes too !!!!!! smh once your eyes are smaller americans always assume you have some type of asian :/
Black people can have almond shaped eyes and high-cheek bones too. It doesn’t make them part Asian or Native American. They can just naturally have it too.
black people have smal leyes too, look nigerian soccer player obi mikel he have small eyes,
PEOPLE WHO THINK IM LYING IM NOT!!!!!!! im actually related to her shes my cousin I’m not even kidding she has a small part of native American we are from the Cherokee tribe she never comes around the Keys family (half of our family) cause shes way to stuck up
What was the name of Gabrielle Union’s last Native American ancestor?
People who are insecure want to deny Gabrielle’s ethinicity they did it to Beyonce when she mentioned her ethinicity. Gabrielle union is not pure African she has other ethinicities in her blood whether it happen 40 years ago or 100 years ago it’s still apart of her and I’m glad she’s embracing it. Fair skin and light eyes for black people do not always symbolize one with many ethinicities. Pick up a book black people because more and more y’all sound ignorant once again. Btw I’m black so don’t call me racist.
I agree with you. It’s always the jealous black people who wished they looked like her that want to deny her other ethnicities. The same thing with Rihanna and Meagan Good. I doubt every single African American is purely black, they have white in them from the slave days and probably some Native American.
I forgot to add that some mixed race black people decided to identify as solely black regardless of their mixed background. Those mixed black people married other blacks and thus creating what is called an MGM mixed African American.
@noneofyourbussiness , All Black people are mixed, period. there is no jealously. What a silly comment.
@Kiwi 7777 most blacks in America and the Carribean are MIXED. Its not about denying, it about unifying. There is no separation among , BLACKS, we have ALL been mixed .White Americans are mixed too.
@Kiwi7777 Gabrielle looks pretty near 100% African to me. There are many many Ghanians with her looks
link:: http://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/entertainment/artikel.php?ID=217067&VOLGNR=2&gallery=0
There’s nothing wrong with being 100% African, no one is saying being African is ugly. Gabrielle just said in an interview that she is not 100%. Genetics goes beyond looks, it’s the DNA and there’s no changing her DNA whether she looks 100% or not.
Here’s an interview w/ Nia, Sanna Lathna, and Gabrielle union embracing being African American actress http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=St-WO6RYVgA
Have a good day people who are jealous of black women hahaha