Angela Davis

Davis in 2013, photo by Prphotos

Birth Name: Angela Yvonne Davis

Place of Birth: Birmingham, Jefferson, Alabama, U.S.

Date of Birth: January 26, 1944

Ethnicity:
*grandfathers – European [English, some Scottish, Welsh, and French]
*grandmothers – African-American

Angela Davis is an American Marxist and feminist political activist, philosopher, academic, and author. She was a prominent counterculture activist in the 1960s, as a leader of the Communist Party USA.

She was the Community Party USA’s nominee for Vice President of the United States in 1980 and 1984.

She was prosecuted for conspiracy in the 1970 armed take-over of a Marin County, California, courtroom, in which four persons were killed. She was acquitted in a federal trial.

Angela is the daughter of Sallye Margarite Bell and Benjamin Frank Davis. Her brother, Ben Davis, played professional football. Her biological grandfathers were both white. Her grandmothers were black. Through her paternal grandfather, she is a descendant of Mayflower pilgrim William Brewster.

A DNA test whose results were displayed on the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2023) stated that Angela’s genetic ancestry consists of:

*51% African
——–*19.8% Nigeria
——–*6.2% Congo & South East Africa
——–*6.1% West Africa
——–*4.5% Senegambia & Guinea
——–*2% Sub-Saharan Africa
——–*unstated% Ghana, Liberia, & Sierra Leone
*48.5% European
*0.5% Asian

Genetically, she was found to have a common ancestor with actress and comedian Niecy Nash.

Angela’s biological paternal grandfather was Murphy Renchor Jones (the son of Murphy Valentine Jones and Henrietta C. Campbell). Angela’s grandfather Murphy likely was born in Cumberland County, North Carolina. He was white. Angela’s great-grandfather Murphy was the son of Edward Jones and Mary Elizabeth Mallett. Henrietta was the daughter of Hugh Campbell and Henrietta Ann Mallett.

Angela’s paternal grandmother was Mollie/Molly/Mary Spencer (the daughter of Isom Spencer and Mary Knox). Mollie was born in Dayton, Marengo, Alabama. Mollie was married to Edward/Ed Davis. The two separated some time before Angela’s father was born. Mollie may have had as many as four children together with Murphy Jones. Angela’s great-grandfather Isom was born a slave.

Angela’s mother Sallye was raised by foster parents John Bell and Alice Johnson. John and Alice were black.

Angela’s biological maternal grandfather was John Austin Darden (the son of John Alexander Darden and Georgia Elizabeth Webb). Angela’s grandfather John was born in Rockford, Coosa, Alabama, and was white. He was a lawyer, Alabama legislator, and publisher of Goodwater Enterprise. Angela’s great-grandfather John was the son of Uriah Addison Darden and Mary Logan. Georgia was the daughter of Austin Pain Webb and Mary Elizabeth Thomas.

Angela’s biological maternal grandmother was black.

Source: Genealogy of Angela Davis – https://famouskin.com