Yara Shahidi
01/29/2018 – Yara Shahidi – Disney and Marvel’s “Black Panther” World Premiere – Arrivals – Dolby Theatre, 6801 Hollywood Boulevard – Hollywood, CA, USA – Photo Credit: / PRPhotos.com
Birth Name: Yara Sayeh Shahidi
Place of Birth: Minneapolis, Hennepin, Minnesota, United States
Date of Birth: February 10, 2000
Ethnicity:
*father – Iranian
*mother – African-American
Yara Shahidi is an American actress, model, activist, and producer. Her roles include the films Imagine That, Smallfoot, and The Sun Is Also a Star, and the shows Black-ish and Grown-ish.
Yara is the daughter of Afshin Alexander Shahidi, a photographer, and Keri Shahidi (born Keri Jamelda Salter), an actress. Her father is Iranian. Her mother is African-American. Her brother is actor and model Sayeed Shahidi. A picture of Yara’s parents can be seen here. Yara’s mother has said that the name Yara Sayeh Shahidi is Farsi for “Someone who is close to your heart.”
Yara has said:
We’re Choctaw Native American and African-American—our family originated in Ghana, and then there’s a portion of our family that’s the descendants of Vikings.
Yara’s mention of Vikings is referring to the fact that the Jones family of her maternal grandmother, through DNA testing, was found to descend patrilineally from Scandinavian ancestors (possibly over 1000 years ago). It is not clear if Yara’s Native American ancestry has been verified/documented.
Yara is a first cousin, once removed, of musician and entrepreneur Nas. She has said, “My momma grew up with him. He got his genealogy done at Harvard and Henry Louis Gates Jr. did his entire family background. I was a flower girl at his wedding.”
Yara’s paternal grandmother is named Forough Emami.
Yara’s maternal grandfather is Kwame Samuel Salter (the son of Samuel Leon Salter and Reva Daniels). Yara’s great-grandfather Samuel was the son of The Rev. Moses Washington Salter and Maria Moore. Reva was the daughter of William Daniels and Gracie Marie Cobb/Cobbs.
Yara’s maternal grandmother is Connie Sue Jones (the daughter of Charles Rufus “Charlie” Jones II and Ella Mae Jones). Charles was the son of Charlie/Charles Rufus Jones and Rose/Rosa Johnson. Ella was the daughter of Charlie S. Jones and Latisha Jackson.
Shahidi in 2012, photo by PR Photos
Sources: https://people.com
Obituary of Yara’s maternal great-grandmother, Reva (Daniels) Salter – http://www.legacy.com
Death records of Yara’s maternal great-grandparents, Charles Rufus “Charlie” Jones II and Ella Mae Jones – https://www.findagrave.com
Genealogy of Yara’s maternal great-grandfather, Charles Rufus “Charlie” Jones II (focusing on his father’s side) – https://www.geni.com
Her parents’ are Afshin Alexander Shahidi, a photographer, and Keri Shahidi (Keri Jamelda Salter), an actress.
From an article in InStyle:
“We’re Choctaw Native American and African-American—our family originated in Ghana, and then there’s a portion of our family that’s the descendants of Vikings.”
It also says she is a second cousin of Nas (http://ethnicelebs.com/nas):
“My momma grew up with him. He got his genealogy done at Harvard and Henry Louis Gates Jr. did his entire family background. I was a flower girl at his wedding.”
http://www.instyle.com/news/7-things-you-may-not-know-about-black-ish-star-yara-shahidi
I think one of Yara’s paternal grandparents was named Forough/Farah E. Shahidi. Yara’s father may also be related to a “Keljik”-family.
Yara’s maternal grandfather was Kwame Samuel Salter (the son of Samuel L. Salter and Reva Daniels). Reva was the daughter of Will Daniels and Gracie Cobb.
Kwame’s wife, Phyllis V. (Harris), is only twelve years older than Yara’s mother, so she isn’t Yara’s maternal grandmother. Her grandmother might be a woman named Connie Sue Randall, who appears as a relative to Yara’s mother on public records.
Obituary of Yara’s great-grandmother – http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/jsonline/obituary.aspx?page=lifestory&pid=154930206
She is very lovely
Yeah she looks like someone well into her late 20s.
Her Iranian side must be really dark, because she passes as a full African. Namely Somalian or Eritrean.
eritreans and somlaians have long had semitic influence. Many have at least 40% caucasian genotype
Semitic is part of a language group that many people speak. Also this 40% Caucasian. stuff was just phenotypical traits acquired. From living in a certain climate or area for thousands of year and back migrating.this had nothing to do with white people.If anything the whites they share DNA with, probably once belong to this group. Breaking off and going their own way acquiring. The pale skin mutation.I don’t. See any recent infusion between the Eritreans, somalians, and white people.
also skin color has nothing to do with how mixed someone is. Look at her facial features and hair texture as well. There are east indians darker than her.
She looks like her mother, and she clearly States that in a video she did about taking care of her hair. So what facial features are you speaking of?
Her parents:
http://xonecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Yara-Shahidi-Mom-and-Dad-Keri-and-Afshin.png
She looks like her mother’s twin.
Her and her mother:
http://xonecole.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/Yara-Shahidi-and-Mom-Keri.jpg
Idk who she is, but pretty kid.
Check out blackish on ABC