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