Anthony Ervin

Birth name: Anthony Lee Ervin

Place of Birth: Valencia, Los Angeles, California, United States

Date of Birth: May 26, 1981

Ethnicity:
*father – African-American, some English, remote Dutch
*mother – Ashkenazi Jewish

Anthony Ervin is an American competition swimmer. He has won four Olympic medals and two World Championship golds. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, he won a gold medal in the men’s 50-meter freestyle; and a silver medal in the 4×100-meter freestyle event, as a member of the second-place U.S. relay team. At the 2016 Rio Olympics, he won the gold medal at the 50-meter freestyle event; and a gold medal in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay with the U.S. team. He is nicknamed “Tony.”

He was raised in Valencia, Santa Clarita, California. Anthony’s father is African-American, and also has English, and remote Dutch, ancestry. Some sources state that Anthony’s father also has Native American ancestry. It is not clear if this Native American ancestry has been verified/documented. Anthony is the first American swimmer of African-American descent to make the U.S. Olympic team.

Anthony’s mother is Ashkenazi Jewish.

He is a practicing Zen Buddhist.

Anthony’s paternal grandfather was Ed Sawyer Ervin (the son of Eddie Ervin and Mamie Pettway). Anthony’s grandfather Ed was born in Alabama. Anthony’s great-grandfather Eddie was the son of John Ervin and Sarah Grantsberry.

Anthony’s paternal grandmother was Willie Lee Diggs (the daughter of Daniel Harris Diggs and Willie Henry Slaughter). Anthony’s grandmother Willie was born in West Virginia. Daniel was the son of Benjamin Franklin Digges and Molly Harris Turner. Anthony’s great-grandmother Willie was the daughter of William Henry Slaughter and Sarah Caroline Cole.

Anthony’s maternal grandfather’s surname was Elkins.

Sources: https://www.youtube.com

New York Times article – http://www.nytimes.com

Genealogy of Anthony Ervin (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com