Courtney B. Vance

Vance in 2015, photo by kathclick/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Courtney Bernard Vance

Place of Birth: Detroit, Michigan, U.S.

Date of Birth: March 12, 1960

Ethnicity: African-American [including ancestry from Nigeria, Ivory Coast/Ghana, Cameroon/Congo, and Senegal]

Courtney B. Vance is an American actor.

Courtney is the son of Leslie Anita (Daniels) and Conroy Vance. He is married to actress and director Angela Bassett, with whom he has two children.

Courtney’s paternal grandmother was Ardella Victoria Vance (the daughter of Todd Vance and Katie Holeman/Holman). Ardella was born in Arkansas. Todd was the son of Neeley Vance and Annie. Katie was the daughter of John Holeman/Holman and Pallie/Polly/Pollie Blanche Wilburn.

Courtney’s father was raised by a couple named John B. and Lucille Cooper.

Courtney’s maternal grandfather was Lloyd Abbott Daniels (the son of Reece Daniels and Rosa Irving). Lloyd was born in Key West, Oklahoma.

Courtney’s maternal grandmother was named Virginia Naomi Harris. Virginia was born in Washington, D.C. Two of Courtney’s maternal great-great-grandparents were John T. Janey, who was born into slavery, and Caroline/Carrie Skinner.

A DNA test taken by the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2014) stated that Courtney’s genetic ancestry is:

*85.8% African
*11.8% European
*<1% Native American

In his 2016 book about the show, Finding Your Roots, Season 2: The Official Companion to the PBS Series, Henry Louis Gates, Jr. wrote that Courtney’s African DNA includes ancestry from Nigeria, Ivory Coast/Ghana, Cameroon/Congo, and Senegal.

Sources: Genealogy of Courtney B. Vance – https://www.geni.com

Death record of Courtney’s maternal grandfather, Lloyd Abbott Daniels – https://www.familysearch.org