Will Smith
Smith in 2005, cinemafestival / Shutterstock.com
Birth Name: Willard Carroll Smith, Jr.
Place of Birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Date of Birth: September 25, 1968
Ethnicity: African-American
Will Smith, also known as The Fresh Prince, is an American actor, rapper, songwriter, and producer. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for King Richard (2021). He has starred on the show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and in the films Where the Day Takes You, Made in America (1993), Six Degrees of Separation, Bad Boys, and its sequels; Independence Day, Men in Black, and its sequels; Enemy of the State, Wild Wild West, The Legend of Bagger Vance, Ali, I, Robot; Shark Tale, Hitch, The Pursuit of Happyness, I Am Legend, Hancock, Seven Pounds, After Earth, Winter’s Tale, Focus (2015), Concussion, Suicide Squad (2016), Collateral Beauty, Bright, Aladdin (2019), Gemini Man, Spies in Disguise, and Emancipation. He co-created the show All of Us, which he also wrote for, and has hosted the shows One Strange Rock, Amend: The Fight for America, and Welcome to Earth. He was part of hip hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, with DJ Jazzy Jeff, with whom he released the songs “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” “A Nightmare on My Street,” “Summertime,” “Ring My Bell,” and “Boom! Shake the Room.” He later had solo hits “Gettin’ Jiggy wit It” and “Wild Wild West.”
Will is the son of Caroline (Bright), a school board administrator, and Willard Carroll Smith, a refrigeration engineer, who was in the Air Force. His parents were/are both African-American. He was raised in Wynnefield, Philadelphia. Will is married to actress and musician Jada Pinkett Smith. He has a son, actor and disc jockey Trey Smith, with his former wife, actress and fashion designer Sheree Fletcher; and two children, actors and singers Jaden Smith and Willow Smith, with Jada.
Will’s paternal grandfather was Wilmon Lee Smith (the son of John Edward Smith and Mariah B. Holley). George was born in North Carolina. John was the son of Miles A. Smith and Margaret Ann Johnson. Mariah was the daughter of Gregory Holley and Mary Ellen Woodhouse.
Will’s paternal grandmother was Ellen Frances Washington (the daughter of Thomas Holcomb Washington and Conolia Lottie “Estelle” Lee). Ellen was born in Virginia. Thomas was the son of William Washington and Mary Frances Scott. Conolia was the daughter of George Washington Lee and Ellen Frances Gannaway.
Will’s maternal grandmother is named Helen.
Sources: Obituary of Will’s father – http://www.legacy.com
Genealogies of Will Smith (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
https://www.wikitree.com
another thing african american does not mean having some native blood.this is away for those to deny there african roots again. the term african american was to connect blacks back to africa in america.the american part is no brainer since aafrican american were born here.
here is some good info-
Best Answer – Chosen by Asker
Very interesting question! According to a man who has performed DNA testing on black Americans, only approximately 10 percent have Native American ancestors:
He said many blacks wrongly believe they are descendents of Native Americans.
“If you ask 10 African-Americans if they have Native American ancestry, eight of them will say yes, but when we actually test them, it’s less than 10 percent,” Kittle said.
The historians and archaeologist and anthropologist have shown that the bulk of the enslaved Africans came from northern Nigeria to southern Angola’s parts of western central area, and so we have a database that encompasses that area and so when we test these African-Americans, they pretty much match to there about 95 percent of the time,” Kittle said.
Other Answers (7)
Due to stigma and discrimination, MANY persons have been known to claim Native Amer. ancestry, instead of admitting to African American.
I would estimate that probably 1/2 of those that think they have Native Amer. , really do not (not limited to those with African Amer. ancestry), and many become very upset, when they do the actual research.
If you want to know if it is true or not, you can always do the actual research of your ancestors, and find out what the records show. There is no need at all to guess what “might” be true or not.
Where are all these test done,because I never hear anything about them.Also I don’t they ever tested anyone in my family,but yet I already know mine
@mace you are so naive and clueless
Yes, your right most blacks dont have
Native american blood thats a fact,
First of all mr.gates didnt test every
Black person around the world,so
I know for a fact that if the man test
More black people around the world
The results of black having native
American indian blood would in fact
Be alittle higher than 10 percent,
Theres noway only 10 of blacks got
Native american blood, mr gates only
Tested like a couple of thousands,
He didnt test every black people
So get you facts straight, I think
Theres more black with native american
Blood out theres im sorry honey,
Theres more then 10 percent, I put
Money on it, if mr gates tested more
Black people around the world you would
Find more blacks with native american
Blood,thats a fact, again im not saying
All blacks and most blacks do have
Native american blood, im just
Saying its alittle more then 10 percent
And the test might not show all
Native american indians d.n.a.,there
Was 500 indian tribes, and some
Of the tribes went existed or blended
In with other races, so whatever and
As far as those blacks you said were
Mad they didt have indian blood,
I can understand their whole life
Being told you had native indian blood
By all your family,especially older family
Members,no one wants to think the
Older family members lie, but when
They get tested they find out they
Not have a drop of native american blood
So I can understand that,these myths
About indian blood has been pasted
Down from generation,after generation
After generation,after generation,after
Generation,after generation,after
Generation,till today so thats why
They are mad, thier family could
Have lie,or they were lied to,or they
Were hiding there black blood,so all
Those are true, im black and white
Yes,in my own family,they say we have
Native american blood, lol I laugh and
Just laugh about it and change the
Story when my older family members
Tell me that, show old ass pictures,
Telling stories,yes in the photos
They look native american, face,nose
Skin,long straight or wavy hair waist,ass,
Thigh,and knee length hair, some got
Curly hair, but that could have came
From my white family, I dont believe
,i say to myself dammit another
Indian lie in my own family,im
The type of person who doesnt believe
Everything I hear, you have to show
Me proof documents,d.n.a,something
Oh hell no my family wont have me
Believeing a dam lie, I dont care about
Them looking like full blood native
American indians with white,pale,or
Red or tan or yellow skin tones,they
Have, I dont care,i want proof
Until then im black and white, so there
I said it,i hate liars with a passion,
For one of my aunts crying and
Cussing me out, saying ima fool
With I dont think we indian, I told
iYHer auntie you got to show me
Proof, im sorry you can cry your eyes
Out but I need proof,and I like when
She goes they was poor indians,
They didnt have records,they lefted
The reseration so have a better life,
And afew other things but thats private
And they change their names,look at your
Uncles and great uncles pointy hooked
Noses some long ,with asian like eyes
And thin lips,
couple of thousands?No I don’t think gates went pass 100 yet.Also he based his theory of 1 in 20 AA with native blood,after only testing less than 45 people(which still give about 2 million AA’s).Also people have to remember,alot of the AA population,are not from the original stock(it has swelled from less than 10 million to what it is now ,in less than 80yrs).Also As I stated before,many people may have been adopted into tribes in the past,so their descendants think that’s what they are(an culturally that is what they are).Also blood levels of certain heritages can shrink after generations,although traits can always appear.Take Tina Turner for example,she only 1% native(about less than 200yrs to get to that level).I pretty much can guarantee,that if you test her grandkids,they want show any measurable amounts.Now as far as your family,just get tested(of course that was just a suggestion,don’t get mad at me).
some african americans have not native blood or white blood at all.some are still unmixed.
now that’s true
Lol, yeah like 3% of the black population. And they just came here from Nigeria.
There is such a thing as trying to be too black homie, chill out.
Sorry I didnt finish I made a mistake
And sent the first message threw
But anyway, when my aunts,cousins,
Grand parents,uncles, tell me this
I laugh and leave because enough
With the lies, no proof for me,
And I will keep saying yall lying
Dam just give up already we black
And white, let it go, but they want
To bet me money we are indian blood
Ok they gonna lose that bet, and
I will be rich, anyway I don’t
Believe the native american myth,no
Proof,documents,d.n.a. No dawes rolls
No nothing, you see what saying,
All they got is the looks,culture,and hearsay,
With hatchets,medicine bags,gun,whatever
I love my.family but they lying, but
They not talking to me because i dont believe
Them, so its all good i dont go
Around them,only the my family
Thats real not fake ass family members
Trying to be something there not,
So god bless,
not really, recent dna has proven that more african american have some white blood more so than native american blood.one lady on a show by henry gates thought she had some native blood but it turn out that she had some white blood,not native. .
Will Smith is also part Native American.. It’s said it on IMDB.
D2009, thanks for the comment. I think a lot of African Americans would say they have some Native American blood, so i dont think its really necessary to include that. The term African American would already mean their is some mixed blood.
Awsome!!!! he’s such a good actor!!! and still good looking even thow he getn old!!!