Russell Wilson

Wilson and his mother Tammy in 2014, photo by Prphotos.com

Birth Name: Russell Carrington Wilson

Place of Birth: Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.

Date of Birth: November 29, 1988

Ethnicity: African-American, some English

Russell Wilson is an American professional football player. He is a quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL).

Russell is the son of Tammy Devar (Turner), a legal nurse consultant, and Harrison Benjamin Wilson III, a lawyer. His parents are both black. Russell is married to singer, songwriter, and actress Ciara, with whom he has three children.

A DNA test taken by Russell stated that his genetic ancestry is:

*62% African
——–*27% Cameroon/Congo
——–*10% Ivory Coast/Ghana
——–*9% Nigeria
——–*6% Mali
——–*5% Benin/Togo
——–*2% Africa North
——–*2% Senegal
——–*<1% Africa South-Central Hunter Gatherers
*36% European
*1% West Asian
*1% Asia Central

Russell had stated that he is of part Native American descent. Given his DNA results, it appear that he does not have significant Native American ancestry.

Russell’s paternal grandfather was Dr. Harrison Benjamin Wilson, Jr. (the son of Harrison Benjamin Wilson, Sr. and Marguerite Ayers). Russell’s grandfather Harrison was born in Amsterdam, New York. He was an educator and college basketball coach, who was president of Norfolk State University, from 1975 to 1997. Russell’s great-grandfather Harrison was the son of John Lyle Wilson, who was born into slavery, and of Martha Ellen Coles. Marguerite was the daughter of Robert Lee Ayers, Jr. and Elizabeth J. Price.

Russell’s paternal grandmother is named Dr. Lucy Reed Harrison. Lucy was born in South Carolina.

Russell’s maternal grandfather was named A. B. Jackson (Alexander Brooks Jackson). A. B. was a prominent painter. He was born in New Haven, Connecticut, to an American father, who was African-American, and to a mother with English ancestry, in Manchester. Russell did not know that A. B. was his grandfather until he was an adult.

Russell’s maternal grandmother is Carolyn Turner (the daughter of Herman Turner and Flora Ann Douglas). Carolyn was born in Virginia. Herman was the son of Reddick Turner and Jenny Bynum. Flora was the daughter of Mack Duggins Douglas and Carrie Lean Darden.

Sources: Video of Russell having his family history described to him by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. – https://www.youtube.com

Genealogy of Russell’s paternal great-grandparents, Harrison Benjamin Wilson, Sr. and Marguerite Ayers – https://www.geni.com