Whitney Houston
Houston in 2008, Featureflash / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Whitney Elizabeth Houston
Date of Birth: August 9, 1963
Place of Birth: Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Date of Death: February 11, 2012
Place of Death: Beverly Hills, California, U.S.
Ethnicity: African-American, with small amount of English/Irish/Scottish
Whitney Houston was an American singer, actress, model, and producer. Known for her incomparable voice, she gave the world numerous classic tracks and was also a talented actress.
Whitney was the daughter of singer Cissy Houston (born Emily Lee Drinkard) and John Russell Houston, Jr. Whitney was a first cousin of singer Dionne Warwick. Her mother’s family formed a family gospel group, The Drinkard Jubilairs, later The Drinkard Singers, who recorded the first gospel album on a major label. She was previously married to singer Bobby Brown. The couple had a daughter, Bobbi Kristina Brown, who was born in 1993 and died in 2015.
Whitney’s parents were/are both black. She also had a small amount of English, Irish, and Scottish ancestry.
Whitney’s mother, Cissy, stated in an interview that she has Dutch and Native American ancestry. It is not clear if this Native American ancestry has been verified/documented.
Whitney’s paternal grandfather was John Russell Houston (the son of John Huston/Houston and Hannah M. Davis). Whitney’s grandfather John was born in Neshanic, Somerset, New Jersey. Whitney’s great-grandfather John was the son of Nathaniel Houston and Sarah Ann. Hannah was the daughter of James Davis and Eleanor.
Whitney’s paternal grandmother was Sarah Elizabeth/Elisabeth Collins (the daughter of The Rev. Abraham Augustus Collins and Sarah E. Sanderson). Whitney’s grandmother Sarah was born in Oakland, Alameda, California. Augustus was the son of Henry M. Collins and Elizabeth G. Spears. Whitney’s great-grandmother Sarah was the daughter of Jeremiah Burke Sanderson and Catherine Elizabeth Gibson Molyneaux.
Whitney’s maternal grandfather was Nitcholas/Nicholas “Nitch” Drinkard (the son of John Drinkard, Jr. and Susie/Susan Belle/Bell “Delia” Fuller). Nitcholas was born in Hilton, Early, Georgia. John was the son of John Drinkard, Sr., who was born in Mississippi, and was a landowner near the border of Georgia and Alabama; and of Victoria Hansom.
Whitney’s maternal grandmother was Adelia/Delia Mae McCaskill (the daughter of Stephen McCaskill and Emma L. Houston). Adelia was born in Florida. Stephen was the son of Annie/Ann Hogan, who was black, and likely of John Jett McCaskill, who was white. Emma was the daughter of Oliver Houston and Rachel/Rachael Hill.
A DNA test of Whitney’s cousin Dionne whose results were displayed on the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2024) stated that Dionne ‘s genetic ancestry consists of:
*80% African
——–*24% Nigeria
——–*23% Benin & Togo
——–*14% Cameroon, Congo & Western Bantu Peoples
——–*9% Mali
——–*6% Ivory Coast & Ghana
——–*4% Senegal
*19% European
——–*9% England & NW Europe
——–*5% Ireland
——–*3% Scotland
——–*2% Germanic Europe
*1% Asian
——–*1% Southern Philippines
Sources: Genealogies of Whitney Houston – http://www.geni.com
https://famouskin.com
Genealogy of Whitney Houston (focusing on her father’s side) – http://www.findagrave.com
Whitney’s mother speaks of their ancestors – http://www.youtube.com
Whitney’s maternal great-grandparents, John Drinkard, Jr. and Susie/Susan Belle/Bell Fuller, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Whitney’s maternal grandmother, Adelia/Delia Mae McCaskill, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Whitney’s maternal great-grandparents, Stephen McCaskill and Emma L. Houston, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Whitney’s maternal great-grandfather, Stephen McCaskill, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
liyah, lol I said the same thing! Not saying that all of them are fibbing, but it goes back to a time when everybody claimed they had a “Cherokee” grandma! LMBO hilarious
@liyah
Its because of common struggles. Native Americans and African Americas got the short end of the stick and found themselves in similar areas. The were in the same social/economic status.
If you go to Detroit of Baltimore you see “”Ghetto Blacks” and “Traitor park trash” (not my words) living in the same areas, and often intermingling (going to the same places, and making babies with each other) that’s the nature of things.
I don’t like when someone is something and people are still Ohh she black,no she’s a black Indian that’s some ones of African,and Native American anscerty. So u mean to tell me since im mixed with African-American,Caucasin,And three diffrent types of Native American that im black. No idenfy as Mullato which is a person having a black,and one white parent or more broadly a person of black and white,or native anscerty.
Wow I’m shocked African American? Get out of here. lol *says with sarcasm* I would’ve been shocked if something else would’ve came up.
Ok wait stop right there before you go BUT look it says “Whitney’s mother Cissy stated in an interview that she has Dutch and Native American ancestors.” Okay yeah shes still considered African American I am African American and have white blood in me as well BIG WHOOP most of us are mixed with something. What I meant by that previous statement is that I knew before coming here that she was a black woman,and in the end having distant relatives that were one race or another isn’t the same as being a biracial person that has 1 mother and 1 father that are 2 completely different races.
Jasmine,
Get it together hon, your explaining to us that you yourself have caucasian roots! So your right when you say BIG WHOOP! Tell the truth honey and EXCEPT THE FACT THAT YOU ARE MULTI-RACIAL AND KEEP IT MOVING ! CASE CLOSED!!!!!lmao! You sound like an old slave that was beaten to say what your saying! This is the year 2011 and guess what hon? The truth has been let out! YOU ARE EMANCIPATED!!!!!! LMAO!!!!!!! Whew! This answer is so on point I can’t stop laughing!!!!LOL!LOL!LOL!LOL!LOL!
Dont worry Jasmine I understand exactly where you are coming from having mixed ancestry and being directly biracial are two totally different things i dont dip in dab in what race i am descended from on this side or that but I do know that im proud to be African American..mixed race mixed ancestry or not lol
@ Jas
Why would you be shocked?You do know AA doesn’t mean your just black right?(btw I’m not trying to be funny,alot of people don’t know that)
She Was Being Sarcastic! Whitney Is Dying! Whitney Does Not Have That Lung Cancer Thing….I Love Whitney!
If most African Americans are more than just black, then ¨African American¨is a misnomer and this ethnic group needs to find another name to call themselves– American?
@@@@American87
If that the case everyone should change their name!! 33% of “White Americans” have African ancestry, acquired over the last 400 years.
People dont have DNA glasses, so… if you look black people call you black, if you look white people call you white.
Hell both my parents are blond and I have brown hair, nobody’s going to call me Blondie because of my heritage……
is it just me or does every black celeb on this site has native in them
Its Not You….But The Thing Is, Her Native American Ancestry Is Visible In Her Fathers Phenotype, And I Can Also See It In Her Mothers Face A Little….But Whitney Is One Of The Few People Who Know And Have Proof That They Have Native Blood And She Know Who Was Her Native Ancestor Which Was Whitney’s Great Grandfather.