Katherine Jackson

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Katherine Esther Jackson (born May 4, 1930) is the mother of the Jackson musical family.

Childhood

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Born as Kattie B. Screws in Barbour County, Alabama, she was the daughter of Martha (née Upshaw) and Prince Albert Screws. Katherine's father later changed his surname to "Scruse", and her name was changed to Katherine Esther Scruse when she was four years old. Katherine contracted polio as a child, but she eventually made a full recovery from the disease. However, because of the disease's effects, she walks with a noticeable limp. At four, her family moved to Gary, Indiana. There she met Joseph Jackson, whom she married in 1949. In 1965, Jackson became a Jehovah's Witness.

The Jackson 5

During the group's early years, the mid-to-late 1960s, Jackson served a role as the group's designer. She often made suits for her five eldest sons to wear during their lengthy rides to the predominantly black venues and theaters where they usually performed. After the Jackson 5 signed with Motown Records in 1968, Jackson's role was more limited. Throughout the Jackson 5's rise to fame, and later the solo careers of Michael and Janet, she was often described as a loving and devoted mother and wife to her family. In 1984, she joined her husband in helping to create their sons' Victory Tour. In 1985 Essence magazine named her the "Mother of the Year".

My Family

In 1990, Jackson released her autobiography, My Family,^[1] which documented her early years and her relationship with her husband and their children, eight of whom wrote salutes to their mother in the book's foreword.^[1] She detailed that her husband on more than a few occasions had committed adultery, one of which resulted in the birth of a daughter in 1974.^[1]

In an unauthorized biography of Janet Jackson, a confrontational family incident was described. This biography claims that, in 1979, Jackson and her two youngest children, Randy and Janet, confronted a woman who worked for Joseph's company, whom Katherine had often reportedly accused of cheating with Joseph. That incident was re-dramatized for the 1992 miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream. However in the miniseries, Katherine was shown confronting Joseph instead of the woman about the alleged incident. Katherine Jackson was portrayed by Angela Bassett in the 1992 miniseries The Jacksons: An American Dream. Patricia Idlette portrayed her in the 2004 film Man in the Mirror: The Michael Jackson Story.

Recent years

Throughout the 1990s, Jackson defended her children in the press, particularly Michael. During Michael's 2005 trial (People v. Jackson), Katherine was the only Jackson family member to be present at every court hearing and is said to be one of the few relatives that Michael kept in contact with. Jackson splits her time between Las Vegas and her Hayvenhurst home in Encino.

Death of Michael Jackson

On June 29, 2009, Jackson was granted temporary guardianship of Michael's three children.^[2] Court documents indicated that she was also seeking control over the three children's interests in their late father's estate.^[2] Although Debbie Rowe, the biological mother of the two eldest children and Michael's second wife, had not seen or interacted with the children for years, as of July 4, 2009 she petitioned the courts for custody of her children. As of July 30, 2009 Jackson and Debbie Rowe reached a settlement pertaining to the care of Michael's three children Prince (Prince Michael Jackson Jr.), 12, Paris, 11 and Prince II or "Blanket" (Prince Michael Jackson II), 7 will be raised by Katherine; Rowe will have visitation rights and will continue to receive the yearly payments Michael had agreed to.

On August 3, 2009 the judge named Jackson as the permanent guardian of the children.

Jackson has said that she doesn't want to see Michael Jackson's This Is It, a documentary film of Michael's rehearsals for his This Is It concert tour. She said, "I can't be able to watch it since his death. Maybe I'll watch it another time."^[3]

Children

Ten children were born to Katherine and Joe Jackson. Only nine lived to adulthood.

• Maureen Reillette "Rebbie" Jackson (born May 29, 1950)
• Sigmund Esco "Jackie" Jackson (born May 4, 1951)
• Toriano Adaryll "Tito" Jackson (born October 15, 1953)
• Jermaine La Jaune Jackson (born December 11, 1954)
• La Toya Yvonne Jackson (born May 29, 1956)
• Marlon David Jackson (born March 12, 1957)
• Brandon Jackson (born March 12, 1957 - died at birth)
• Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)
• Steven Randall "Randy" Jackson (born October 29, 1961)
• Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966)

Grandchildren

• Rebbie Jackson and Nathaniel Brown have three children:
  1. Stacee Brown (b. May 5, 1971) - Is a singer and often records with her younger sister
  2. Yashi Brown (b. October 18, 1977) - Yashi is a singer-songwriter who often records with her older sister
  3. Austin "Auggie" Brown (b. November 22, 1985) - Auggie is a singer-songwriter and musician
• Jackie Jackson and Enid Spann had two children:
  1. Sigmund Esco Jackson, Jr. ("Siggy") (b. June 29, 1977) - Siggy, or DealZ, is a rapper and avid motorcyclist
  2. Brandi Jackson (b. February 6, 1982) - an adopted child, Brandi is also a singer
• Tito Jackson and Delores "Dee Dee" Martez had three children:
  1. Toriano Adaryll Jackson, Jr. ("Taj") (b. August 4, 1973) - member of the successful pop group 3T
  2. Taryll Adren Jackson (b. August 8, 1975) - member of the successful pop group 3T
  3. Tito Joe Jackson ("TJ") (b. July 16, 1978) - member of the successful pop group 3T
• Jermaine Jackson and Hazel Gordy had three children:
  1. Jermaine La Jaune Jackson, Jr. ("Jay") (b. January 27, 1977)
  2. Autumn Joy Jackson (b. July 10, 1978)
  3. Jaimy Jackson (b. March 17, 1987)
• Jermaine Jackson and Margaret Maldonado never legally married but had two children:
  1. Jeremy Jackson (b. December 26, 1986)
  2. Jourdynn Jackson (b. January 5, 1989)
• Jermaine Jackson and Alejandra Oaziaza had two children:
  1. Jaffar Jackson (b. July 26, 1996)
  2. Jermajesty Jackson (b. October 7, 2000)
• La Toya Jackson has no children.
• Marlon Jackson and Carol Parker have three children:
  1. Valencia Jackson (b. 1976)
  2. Brittany Jackson (b. 1978)
  3. Marlon David Jackson, Jr. (b. September 23, 1981) - "Chye Beats", currently is a member of a hip-hop duo
• Michael Jackson and Deborah Jeanne Rowe had two children:
  1. Michael Joseph Jackson, Jr. ("Prince") (b. February 13, 1997)
  2. Paris Michael Katherine Jackson (b. April 3, 1998)
• Michael Jackson and an unidentified woman (reportedly a surrogate) had one child:
  1. Prince Michael Jackson II ("Blanket") (b. February 21, 2002)
• Randy Jackson and Eliza Shaffe had one child:
  1. Steveanna Jackson (b. June 17, 1990)
• Randy Jackson and Alejandra Oaziaza had three children:
  1. Genevieve Jackson (b. December 3, 1989)
  2. Donte Jackson (b. June 13, 1992) - an adopted child
  3. Steven Randall Jackson, Jr. (b. October 2, 1991)
• Janet Jackson has no children.

References

v d e Jackson family Parents Joe Jackson: 1929 · Katherine Jackson: 1930 Children Maureen Reillette (Rebbie): 1950 · Sigmund Esco (Jackie): 1951 · Toriano Adaryll (Tito): 1953 · Jermaine La Jaune: 1954 · La Toya Yvonne: 1956 · Marlon David: 1957 · Michael Joseph: 1958–2009 · Steven Randall (Randy): 1961 · Janet Damita Jo: 1966 Musical groups The Jackson 5/The Jacksons · 3T Television The Jacksons · The Jacksons: An American Dream · The Jackson Family Honors · The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty The Jackson Family portal