Katherine Jackson (b. May 4 1930) is the matriarch of the Jacksons musical dynasty and the mother of pop music icons Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson.

Born as Katherine Esther Scruse in Barbour County, Alabama, Jackson was the daughter of Martha ("Mattie") Upshaw and Prince Albert Scruse. An East Chicago, Indiana resident since the age of 4, Katherine contracted polio as a child though she eventually made a full recovery from the disease. Because of the disease's effects, she walks with a noticeable limp.

In 1947, she met a teenage boxer named Joseph Jackson and within two years the couple married and settled in Indiana living in the working-class neighborhood of Gary, where Katherine reared ten children. Marlon Jackson was premature; his twin brother, Brandon, died within hours of birth. She eventually became one of Jehovah's Witnesses in 1965 and brought up her nine children in the faith, although most of the children are no longer associated with the organization.

Joe and Katherine have 10 children:

# Daughter Rebbie Jackson, born May 29, 1950 (age 57) # Son Jackie Jackson, born May 4, 1951 (age 56) # Son Tito Jackson, born October 15, 1953 (age 54) # Son Jermaine Jackson, born December 11, 1954 (age 52) # Daughter La Toya Jackson, born May 29, 1956 (age 51) # Twin Son Marlon Jackson, born March 12, 1957 (age 50) # Twin Son Brandon Jackson, born March 12, 1957, Brandon died hours after birth. # Son Michael Jackson, born August 29, 1958 (age 49) # Son Randy Jackson, born October 29, 1961 (age 46) # Daughter Janet Jackson, born May 16, 1966 (age 41)

Katherine has 26 grandchildren:

Daughter Rebbie has 3 children:

*Stacee Brown (b. 1971) *Yashi Brown (b. 1977) *Austin Brown (b. November 22, 1985)

Son Jackie has 2 children: *Sigmund Jackson, Jr. (b. June 29, 1977) *Brandi Jackson

Son Tito has 3 sons:

*Toriano Adaryll Jackson "Taj" II (b. August 4, 1973) *Taryll Adren Jackson (b. August 8, 1975) *Tito Joseph "TJ" Jackson (b. July 16, 1978)

Son Jermaine has 8 children:

*Jermaine Jackson Jr. (b. January 27, 1977) *Autumn Jackson (b. 1978) *Dawn Jackson (b. 1985) *Jeremy (b. 1986) *Jaimy Jackson (b. 1987) *Jourdyn Jackson (b. 1989) *Jaffar Jackson (b. 1996) *Jermajesty Jackson (b. 2000)

Daughter La Toya has no children

Son Marlon has 3 children: *Valencia Jackson (b. 1977) *Brittany Jackson (b. 1979) *Marlon Jackson Jr. (b. 1985)

Son Michael has 3 children:

*Prince Michael Jackson I (b. February 13, 1997) *Paris Jackson (b. April 3, 1998) *Prince Michael Jackson II (b. February 2002)

Son Randy has 4 children *Stevanna Jackson *Genevieve Jackson *Steven Randall Jackson, Jr. (twin) *Donte Jackson (twin)

Daughter Janet has no children

During the Jackson 5's early years, Katherine played a role in the group's development by designing the boys suits in which they performed. After the group's rise to fame as international superstars after signing with Motown, Katherine's role was more limited.

In 1990, Katherine released her autobiography, My Family, in which she defended her son, Michael. She wrote about her husband Joseph's infidelity that she had suspicions, which were confirmed when a Jackson 5 groupie gave birth to a baby that Joseph fathered. Katherine filed for divorce but later withdrew the proceedings.

Katherine Jackson was present at Michael's child molestation trial in 2005 and supported her son in 1993. During the trial she told reporters that Michael wouldn't harm children.

She still lives at Hayvenhurst, the Jackson family mansion in southern California. Her husband currently resides in Las Vegas.