Sofia Richie
Richie in 2016, photo by Debby Wong/Bigstock.com
Place of Birth: Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Date of Birth: August 24, 1998
Ethnicity:
*father – African-American, small amounts of English, Scottish, and French-Canadian
*maternal grandfather – Greek
*maternal grandmother – English, Irish, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish
Sofia Richie is an American social media personality, model, and fashion designer. She has modeled for Tommy Hilfiger, Michael Kors, and Adidas. She is the daughter of Lionel Richie, a famed musician, and Diane Kerry/Keri Alexander, a dancer and designer. Her legal half-sister is Nicole Richie, who is Lionel’s adopted daughter. She is also known as Sofia Richie Grainge.
Sofia’s father is African-American; his parents were both black, with small amounts of English and Scottish, and distant French-Canadian, ancestry. Sofia’s mother is white. She is of Greek descent on her own father’s side, and of English, Irish, and Scots-Irish/Northern Irish ancestry on her own mother’s. A picture of Sofia’s mother and maternal grandmother can be seen here. Sofia’s mother was described as a “Greek beauty” in a 1993 article in Regents/Prentice Hall.
Sofia has said:
I’m very light, so some people don’t really know that I’m black… I’ve been in situations where people will say something kind of racist and I’ll step in and they’ll be like, ‘Oh, well, you’re light.’ That still doesn’t cut it, buddy. It’s 2016 – you better get your s–t together before you get slapped out here.
Sofia is married to British record executive Elliot Grainge, who is the son of Lucian Grange, the chairman and chief executive officer of Universal Music Group. Sofia is a convert to Judaism, which is Elliot’s faith.
Sofia’s paternal grandfather was Lionel/Lyonel Brockman Richie (the son of Charles A./E. Richie and Ida J. Garfield). Lionel was born in Alabama, to African-American parents. Charles was the son of Henry Richie and Georgia Anna.
Sofia’s paternal grandmother was Alberta R. Foster (the daughter of Albert Davidson Foster and Adelaide M. Brown). Alberta was born in Tennessee, to African-American parents. Albert was the son of George Foster and Betsey. Adelaide was the daughter of John Louis Brown and Volenderver Towson. Sofia’s great-great-grandfather John was the National leader and co-founder of “The Knights of the Wise Men,” a fraternal organization for black men in the post-Civil War period; John was the son of a white slave owner, Morgan Williams Brown, of English, Scottish, and French-Canadian descent, and of Mariah, who was a slave.
Sofia’s maternal grandfather is named Theodore T. “Ted” Alexander (the son of Stephanos Alexandropolis and Diamondo). Ted is of Greek ancestry.
Sofia’s maternal grandmother is Marilyn J. Gilbert (the daughter of Raymond Dewey Gilbert and Virginia Rae Moss Ferry). Marilyn is caucasian. Raymond was born in Illinois, the son of Irish parents, Stephen Winfield Gilbert and Martha Hill. Virginia was the daughter of David Walter Ferry and Maybell/Maybelle Jane Sherwin Moss.
Sofia’s parents Lionel and Diane Richie in 2002, photo by Prphotos
Sources: Information about Sofia’s father’s appearance on Who Do You Think You Are?, 2011 – http://www.ancestraldiscoveries.com
Genealogy of Sofia Richie (focusing on her father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
Sofia’s paternal grandfather, Lionel/Lyonel Brockman Richie, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Sofia’s paternal grandmother, Alberta R. Foster, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Obituary of Sofia’s paternal great-great-grandfather, John Louis Brown – http://www.findagrave.com
Sofia’s maternal great-grandfather, Raymond Dewey Gilbert, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Death record of Sofia’s maternal great-grandfather, Raymond Dewey Gilbert – https://www.findagrave.com
Sofia’s maternal great-grandmother, Virginia Rae Moss Ferry, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Why don’t you put Lionel Ritchie as English and Scottish instead of African American with a small amount of English and Scottish? Just wanted to know if people are mixed why are they automatically African American.
Oh, look, it’s Roseanne Barr.
….I wish you’d get banned from this site.
are you 100% sure? He looked like James Stewart in this pic: https://www.flickr.com/photos/30864602@N06/6253517322/
There’s a Theodore Alexander in Missouri and he’s African-American, but I’m not really sure that’s the right guy. There’s also one African-American Theodore Alexander in California, but he is deffinitely not the guy.
I figured out her grandmother’s side.
Her grandmother is Marilyn J. Gilbert, daughter of Virginia Rae Moss Ferry and Raymond Dewey Gilbert. Virginia’s parents were Maybell Jane Sherwin Moss and David Walter Ferry. Raymond’s parents were Stephen Winfield Gilbert and Martha Hill.
Her grandfather’s name is/was Ted Alexander.
Thank you. If so, the “African-American” woman pictured above is (not unsurprisingly) half white
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/103568362
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MK84-8NX
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSTS-V86
https://www.instagram.com/p/BiuQvD_ghtw/?taken-by=dianekrichie
Here’s a grainy photo of Marilyn and Ted
https://www.flickr.com/photos/30864602@N06/6253517322/
It’s not a clear photo but he appears to be white too.
Probably not. She would have said she is biracial. Her mom’s dad is mostly mixed-race or a light-skinned Black man.
“She would have said she is biracial.”
Paris Jackson calls herself black and she’s ‘supposedly’ mixed race. I think Sofia meant to say she’s biracial.
Ted Alexander is definitely not a light-skinned black man.
Sofia’s mom as a child: https://www.flickr.com/photos/30864602@N06/6253517404/in/photostream/
her brother (I think): https://www.flickr.com/photos/30864602@N06/6253517352/in/photostream/
I don’t think those kids have a mixed race or black parent.
Sofia’s mom only looks tanned because she’s tans. This is just a white woman with too much tan and botox. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D8RmhROWkAEk8KI.jpg
Too much botox ahaha
She has a weird mouth area/jawline for a white woman though. It was already partially visible as a kid.
Thanks for the pics.
Conrade, as an African-American, I have white looking people in my family. My aunt looks white and people not Black thought she was. Got stories on that LOL. She has two Black parents. African-Americans are multigenerational-mix some come out looking like our African ancestors and some look like “masta” but most times we are mostly African. It happens. Look at this lady- she is African-American has two Black parents and looks nearly white. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/megan-bowen-34154.php
She took an ancestry test and she is mostly African. (66%)
Here is another African-American lady. She looks almost white too. She took an dna test and she is mostly African (62%
)https://www.instagram.com/maniibanii/?hl=en
Yes, there are biracial people that say they are Black ( race is a social construct). Sophia would have made it known she was biracial though. She made it CLEAR in that context she is Black . So, yes it is very possible her grandfather was Black, biracial..etc.
“Sophia would have made it known she was biracial though.”
How do you know that? What makes you possibly think that? How clear did she make it? Just as clear as Paris Jackson?
You’re very right about the fact that race is a social construct. Here’s interesting article about it: http://kalamu.com/neogriot/2016/12/17/pov-sofia-richie-lionel-richies-daughter-claims-she-is-black-but-is-she-really/
“Race is not defined by genetic factors and is instead typically assigned by phenotype and reinforced by access (or a lack of access) to whiteness. Thus, a biracial child, who is perceived as “black” or “white” will be treated as such. Race may not be biologically real, but it is very rigid and socially practically inescapable. In the case of Sofia Richie, she is undoubtedly white. With the understanding that genetics does not decide race, social acceptance of Richie as white and her participation in the world as such means more than her claim to blackness. While it is important that Richie stands up against racism, the idea that her being “black” is the main cause of her concern is plainly problematic, because she has been conferred all the privileges of whiteness. Proximity to a black father (or mother) does not change her whiteness, her unquestioned participation in white spaces and assimilation into white culture. Her proximity to a black father does not stop her from dating mostly white men and having mostly white friends.
While it is important that biracial, high-profile individuals take a stand against racism and also feel free to be upfront about their ethnic background (as Sofia Richie did), it is equally important that white-passing individuals do more to dismantle white supremacy than merely claim to be an “other” while freely assimilating into whiteness and reaping the benefits of that assimilation.”
I don’t care if Sofia identifies as African-American or anything else. I just care about the truth.
@sexyblack
That girl on Instagram (Maniibanii) does not look almost white at all to me. Rather like a Dominican one or something.
I agree Sofia’s mom is ambiguous looking, but I tend to believe that she is half Greek indeed.
PS: I like your nickname
In some pics manibbani does look Hispanic but there are other pics where she does look”white”. She did mention some people thought she was white. Like this pic https://www.instagram.com/p/Bmq68CWFlDpl7Yr0iXImSJsIvJV-m_rvDYbu_k0/
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzq6bxTHSkR9IjETFzgUkzLhdSbyhcKXuw2DZY0/
Most Hispanic though are most time 50-70% European in ancestry.
Her mom looks kinda mixed although Sophia does not really.
A user asked Sofia’s mom on her Instagram if she is Native American. She looks it.
Her mother is ambiguous looking.
Gilbert line traces back to Northern Ireland (Antrim)