Photograph of Katherine Jackson.
Katherine Jackson

Overview

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.

Childhood

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.

Marriage

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.
Children
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)
Grandchildren
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

Jackson 5 Years

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.

My Family

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.

Currently

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.

References

Who is Katherine Jackson connected to?
Add a Connection

This biography says:

...# 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...

That biography says:

...All three children are singers, with Stacee and Yashi forming a group originally called the X-Girls (now known as Geneva) while Auggie is currently finishing up his debut album. When her mother, Katherine Jackson, became a Jehovah's Witness in 1965, Rebbie followed her into the faith.
How is Katherine Jackson connected to Kym Mazelle? Tell the world.

This biography says:

...# 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...

That biography says:

La Toya Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana, the fifth of nine children born to Joseph and Katherine Jackson. After her mother became a devout Jehovah's Witness in 1966, Jackson, along with brother Michael, chose to follow that religion, her sibings having given it up...

This biography says:

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

That biography says:

...She appeared in several television commercials and played a variety of roles in television and film productions, such as The Outer Limits and The X-Files. She also formed a comedy troupe, the "Random Acts", with collaborators Katherine Jackson and Anne Marie Kerr, in Toronto in the early 90s....

This biography says:

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

That biography says:

Michael Jackson was born in Gary, Indiana to a working-class family, the second-youngest brother of seven and the eighth of ten children of Joseph (Joe) and Katherine Jackson. Katherine, a Jehovah's Witness, raised the children in that faith, while Joe, who initially started studying with the Witnesses, eventually decided not to join...

This biography says:

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

That biography says:

...Among the actors featured in the miniseries were Angela Bassett as Katherine Jackson, Terrence Howard as an older Jackie, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs as Joseph Jackson, Billy Dee Williams as Berry Gordy, Vanessa L...

This biography says:

...# 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...

This biography says:

...# 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...

That biography says:

Born to parents Joseph and Katherine Jackson in Gary, Indiana, Jermaine became the original lead singer of an earlier incarnation of The Jackson Five until 1967 when younger brother Michael assisted lead vocals, but would co-lead with Michael for many years...

This biography says:

...# 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...

This biography says:

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...

That biography says:

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