Smokey Robinson
Robinson in 2014, photo by Prphotos
Birth Name: William Robinson, Jr.
Place of Birth: Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Date of Birth: February 19, 1940
Ethnicity: African-American, as well as evidently one eighth French
Smokey Robinson is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and former record executive.
Smokey is the son of Flossie (Smith) and William Robinson, Sr. A maternal great-grandmother of his was said to have been of French descent.
A picture of young Smokey with his parents can be seen here.
Smokey’s paternal grandfather was named Albert Robinson. Albert was born in Alabama.
Smokey’s paternal grandmother was named Elizabeth “Lizzie” Lanxter. Elizabeth was born in Alabama.
Smokey’s maternal grandfather was The Rev. Benjamin J. Smith (the son of Quincey Smith and Frances/Fanny Smith). The Rev. Benjamin was born in Tennessee. His family was from Rutherford.
Smokey’s maternal grandmother was Ella Mae Rivers Warr (the daughter of Adam Warr and Sarah Mike). Ella was born in Tennessee. Adam was the son of Harriet Warr.
Sources: Genealogy of Smokey Robinson – https://www.geni.com
Genealogy of Smokey Robinson (focusing on his mother’s side) – https://www.wikitree.com
Obituary of Smokey’s mother – http://www.findagrave.com
Get him a DNA test, then we’ll see this just 1/8 white stuff, please. His features(hair, eyes, face) indicate a large amount of white ancestry.
Yes, but remember, you do not have to be directly or predominantly white in ancestry in order for it to demonstrate. All it takes it a smidgen from each parent (and that goes for everyone and every trait). Given that more than half of US black people have white ancestry, having a white great grandmother would make this a sure possibility. He has THE most gorgeous blue eyes!
His eyes are green.
Sometimes they look green. And sometimes they look blue.
Maybe his mother never told him that his dad wasn’t his biological dad.
Not trying to be mean, just guessing. It’s possible: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2005/aug/11/childrensservices.uknews
Rev. Benjamin J. Smith was born in 1885 on his death certificate but on the 1900 census he’s born in 1877.
As seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9x8s_6fzsw (at 11:43)
Benjamin Smith (born in 1877)’s parents were Quincey Smith and Frances (Fanny) Smith from Rutherford, Tennessee, both are listed as ‘black’, not french.
https://www.wikitree.com/genealogy/Robinson-Family-Tree-25014
Is that article’s statement really credible? How common was it back then for interracial children to have a white mother?
Very rare.
I didn’t even notice that article was there. Robinson was on Who Do You Think You Are?, and it seems clear neither of his maternal great-grandmothers were white nor French. Nor sure about his father’s side.
Should French be removed then?
Your comments should be removed. He has blue eyes, racist.
That was uncalled for.
Are you high? WTF is wrong with you?
Seriously? Are you that naive?
Yes that happens a lot, where the child is lighter than both parents
A picture of him and his parents: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/22/c1/45/22c14580142110a3495ed33227b87447.jpg