Michael Jackson

Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Michael Joseph Jackson

Date of Birth: August 29, 1958

Place of Birth: Gary, Indiana, U.S.

Date of Death: June 25, 2009

Place of Death: Los Angeles, California, U.S.

Ethnicity: African-American

Michael Jackson was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, dancer, and actor. He was nicknamed the “King of Pop.” He electrified audiences with his stage performances and dance routines.

Michael was the son of Katherine/Kattie Esther/B. (Scruse), who had played clarinet and piano, and aspired to be a country-and-western musician, and Joseph Walter Jackson, who played guitar with a rhythm and blues band, the Falcons. He was the brother of singer, songwriter, and actress Janet Jackson and singer and songwriter La Toya Jackson. He had three children, including Paris Jackson. Musicians 3T (Tariano Jackson, Taryll Jackson, and Tito Jackson) are his nephews.

Michael went through an abusive childhood at the hands of his father, Joseph.

Despite the controversies in Michael’s life, he has always been loved by his fans. Michael died on June 25, 2009, at the age of 50, due to cardiac arrest.

Michael Jackson was African-American.

Michael’s father had stated that he has Native American ancestry. Michael’s brother Jermaine has said this also. It is not clear if this ancestry has been verified/documented. Joseph also stated that he had some European roots. It has also been said that Michael’s mother has Blackfoot Native American ancestry, also as yet unverified, at least publicly.

Michael’s paternal grandfather was Samuel Joseph Jackson (the son of Israel Nero Jackson and Emeline Williams). Samuel was born in Mississippi, and was said to be of partial Choctaw Native American descent (as well as having black ancestry). It is not clear if this has been verified. Israel and Emeline are listed only as “Black” on United States censuses. Israel was the son of Jack July Gayle/Milam and Mary Freeman or Gina Gale.

Michael’s paternal grandmother was Crystal Lee King (the daughter of Samuel King and Gertrude Daniel). Crystal was born in Arkansas. Samuel was the son of William King and Nellie. Gertrude was the daughter of Thomas “Tom” Daniel and Martha “Mattie” Cason. Mattie was said to be the daughter of a white woman and a black slave man.

Michael’s maternal grandfather was Prince Albert Screws/Scruse (the son of Prince Scruse and Julia Belle Jordan). Michael’s grandfather Prince was born in Alabama. Michael’s great-grandfather Prince was the son of Prince Screws and Mary Etta. Julia was the daughter of Julius Willis Jordan and Rosetta Hall.

Michael’s maternal grandmother was Martha “Mattie” Upshaw (the daughter of Daniel Upshaw and Jeanette Brown). Martha was born in Alabama. Daniel was the son of Jonas Upshaw and Minerva Grant. Jeanette was the daughter of Columbus Brown and Henrietta Peterson.

michael jackson alan light

Jackson in 1988, photo by Alan Light

Sources: Genealogies of Michael Jackson – http://www.wargs.com
http://www.geni.com

Information (some potentially unverified) on Michael’s family history – http://www.truemichaeljackson.com
http://i845.photobucket.com

Michael’s paternal great-grandparents, Israel Nero Jackson and Emeline Williams, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Israel Nero Jackson and Emeline Williams on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Israel Nero Jackson and Emeline Williams on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Israel Nero Jackson and Emeline Williams on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Likely Michael’s great-grandfather, Israel Nero Jackson, on the 1870 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org

Michael’s maternal grandparents, Prince Albert Screws/Scruse and Martha “Mattie” Upshaw, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

ethnic

Curious about ethnicity

158 Responses

  1. niukhnsjgvkd says:

    Omfg WHITE PEOPLE HAVE HIGH CHEECKBONES!

  2. Fuzzybear says:

    To kira:D and Moosh

    You guys have to be careful with those statements,because quiet as it’s kept,they shipped Native Americans to Europe also.That why you have some Europeans who have native American DNA,and don’t know how they got it

  3. Fuzzybear says:

    To priscilla

    Your right MJ didn’t care if you were Black or White,but he did seem to care if he was.Now this is no offense to him,but the man had problems.Now I was and still am a fan of his

    • p says:

      wat do U expect, michael never really had a typical childhood and his father teased and abused him,everything was foreign to him besides wat he love to do his whole life,performing and doing music which he used his GOD-givin talents to help make the world a better place.theres was no doubt Michael was proud to be of african-american,he had vitiligo.and the thing with his nose,well somwhere said dat his dad used to tease about his nose being so big,dat he called it a potatoe nose(but M.J.’s father must of had bad eyesight,to think dat he was ugly)(make sure to tell your kids dat they are beautiful,so they wont be so damaged deeply),and i truly beleive Michael was innocent,watch “Gone Too Soon”(on TV Guide)the father of the child who accussed poor innocent Michael,said dat he wanted to try to ruin Michael’s life for good,doing wat ever he could(so he probably forced his child to say those awful lies).and Michael was proven not guilty(innocent)of all charges,there was no proven evidence dat Michael did all those accussed things B-CUZ he is as innocent as it gets!,the people dat beleived it, is so !GULLABLE!,do not beleive everything the stinken media says,Michael’s life was damaged forever,& the media was part of the reason.but Michael’s legacy(his legacy is his music & all of his greatness) lives on always & forever nonstop.and i pray everyday dat he is truly in happiness,and may you rest in Peace,Paradise & Harmony MICHAEL JOSEPH JACKSON(we LOVE & MISS you so much!truely an Angel) R.I.P. & screw the media!

  4. priscilla says:

    if you guys watched the bet 2009 awards show where they tributed to michael jackson.i hate that jamie foxx is saying “This black man, he belonged to us and we shared him with the world” first of all Michael does not belong to you guys(to wateva you mean by “us”),he first belongs to GOD and than to his family and then to all his true fans,who were there with him thru da good and bad. jamie foxx is fake.Michael didnt see no color,he didnt care if you were black or white.

  5. Moosh says:

    @ mjfan

    Look at pictures of various African peoples on the continent of Africa & you’ll see many who have ‘high cheekbones’. That’s not an exclusive native american trait. I’ve even seen it among ‘continental’ Europeans.

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