Prince
Prince in 2007, photo by prphotos
Birth Name: Prince Rogers Nelson
Date of Birth: June 7, 1958
Place of Birth: Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, United States
Date of Death: April 21, 2016
Place of Death: Chanhassen, Minnesota, U.S.
Ethnicity: African-American
Prince, also known as Ƭ̵̬̊, was an American singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, actor, and director. He is remembered for his amazing vocal range and ability to play multiple instruments proficiently. His songwriting is also highly acclaimed. He wrote some of the best hits for many other artists.
Prince was the son of Mattie Della (Shaw), a jazz singer, and John L. Nelson (John Lewis/Louis Nelson), a lyricist and pianist. His father performed with the jazz group the Prince Rogers Trio, under the stage name Prince Rogers. Prince was formerly married to actress and dancer Mayte Garcia. They had a son, Ahmir, who died a week after birth.
Prince’s parents were both black, as were all of his grandparents and great-grandparents. A picture of Prince’s father can be seen here. A picture of Prince’s mother can be seen here.
Genealogist Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak, writing for The Huffington Post, traced Prince’s roots on both sides of his family. Among her findings are that six of Prince’s eight great-grandparents were born into slavery, and one of his great-grandmothers was possibly the daughter of her owner.
Early in his career, Prince stated that he had Italian ancestry, sometimes from his father, and sometimes from his mother. This is not accurate. In the autobiographical film Purple Rain, Prince’s character’s father is played by an African-American actor and Prince’s character’s mother is played by a Greek actress. This was not reflective of his real life heritage.
Prince’s paternal grandfather was Clarence Allen Nelson (the son of The Rev. Edward/Ed Nelson and Emma Hardy). Clarence was born in Louisiana, and was a minister. His sister, Mittie, known as “Madame Gordon,” was a political activist and street speaker in Chicago, Illinois. The Rev. Edward was a minister in the Colored Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church. He was said to have been the son of John Nelson, a white slave owner, and of a Cherokee Native American woman slave. However, he is listed on the 1880 U.S. Census as “mulatto” and the 1900 U.S. Census as “black.”
Prince’s paternal grandmother was Carrie Jenkins (the daughter of Handy Jenkins and Dina/Lina Ann Phillips). Carrie was born in Louisiana. Dina was the daughter of Ashley Phillips and Martha.
Prince’s maternal grandfather was Frank/Franklin Shaw (the son of Preston/Presley Shaw and Eliza/Liza Britt/Brett). Frank was born in Louisiana.
Prince’s maternal grandmother was Lucille Bonnell (the daughter of Sam W. Bonnell and Katy/Kate F. Hale/Head). Lucille was born in Louisiana.
Sources: Family history of Prince – https://www.ktalnews.com
Genealogies of Prince – http://www.geni.com
http://www.wikitree.com
http://www.findagrave.com
Prince’s paternal grandfather, Clarence Allen Nelson, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Prince’s paternal great-grandparents, Edward/Ed Nelson and Emma Hardy, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Prince’s paternal grandmother, Carrie Jenkins, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Prince’s maternal grandfather, Frank/Franklin Shaw, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Prince’s maternal grandmother, Lucille Bonnell, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
He’s clearly mixed. Anyone saying otherwise is either indenial or just a firm supporter of the racist one drop rule
Most African-Americans are mixed multi-generational because of slavery regardless of skin tone. Some look like our African ancestors and some look like masta. Study genetics and how it works. If it was not for the one-drop rule, there probably would not be many African-Americans here. He is not an exception, but the norm.
The one drop rule is ridiculous. Virtually no one in Europe would call him black nowadays, because we are all used to seeing people who ARE black, eg the footballer Mane for Liverpool.
Of course he wasn’t European but American, so who cares what Europeans think?
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=161442923
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD62-WRT
Edward Nelson listed as “mulatto” on 1880 U.S. Census
According to Geni:
Prince’s great grandfather “Edward Nelson, was the son of a wealthy white slave owner and a freed Cherokee Slave. Denounced by his half-brothers for his marriage to a black woman, Nelson left Louisiana and traveled throughout Arkansas and Louisiana as a minister for the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church.” https://www.geni.com/family-tree/index/6000000007748317716
Prince’s great grandfather Sam Bonnell on the census https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD6Y-TS4
Edward Nelson was the son of a white father and a Cherokee mother? Do they have any evidence for either statement?
Edward is listed as “Black” on the 1900 U.S. Census.
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSPF-BL4https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSPF-BL4
As for Sam Bonnell (“Bonnelle”), if that’s Prince’s great-grandfather, then why are both of his parents listed as “White”, and from Mississippi and Alabama?
On the 1900 census, Prince’s great-grandfather Sam is listed as “Black”, and the son of parents from Louisiana.
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MS58-GLHhttps://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MS58-GLH
I think the geni folks identified the wrong Sam Bonnell, and Sam’s parents.
RIP