Katherine Jackson

Katherine Jackson (born Katherine Esther Scruse May 4, 1930 in Barbour County, Alabama) is the matriarch of the Jacksons musical dynasty and the mother of pop music legends The Jackson 5, Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson. Katherine was the daughter of one Prince Albert Screws... she later changed the spelling to Scruse.

Related Topics:
May 4 - 1930 - Barbour County, Alabama - Pop music - The Jackson 5 - Michael Jackson - Janet Jackson

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Raised in Chicago, Illinois by the age of 4, Katherine was diagnosed with polio as a child. She beat the crippling disease by the time she was a teenager but would forever walk with a limp that became noticeable. In 1947, Katherine was in high school playing several instruments in a high school band and was practicing to be a nurse until she first met a handsome 18-year-old man named Joseph Jackson. Though she said her ideal man "needed to play a saxophone", she became smitten with Joseph. After Joseph divorced his first wife, he and Katherine began dating.

Related Topics:
Chicago, Illinois - Polio - 1947 - Joseph Jackson

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On November 5, 1949 in Crown Point, Indiana, Joseph and Katherine married and would move to Gary, Indiana. Within seven months and nearly 17 years later, they would give birth to ten children:

Related Topics:
November 5 - 1949 - Crown Point, Indiana - Gary, Indiana

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• Maureen Reilette Jackson (also known as Rebbie) (born May 29, 1950)
• Sigmund Esco Jackson (also known as Jackie) (born May 4, 1951)
• Tariano Adaryll Jackson (also known as Tito) (born October 15, 1953)
• Jermaine La Juane Jackson (born December 11, 1954)
• LaToya Yvonne Jackson (born May 29, 1956)
• Twins Marlon David and Brandon Jackson (born March 12, 1957; Brandon died a stillborn)
• Michael Joseph Jackson (born August 29, 1958)
• Steven Randall Jackson (born October 30, 1961)
• Janet Damita Jo Jackson (born May 16, 1966)

Times were tough for the family. Joseph and Katherine both had problems making ends meet with Joe working for a meager pay check working at a steel mill factory while Katherine worked for a time as a Sears clergy worker. It was so hard for the couple and because they had nine children's mouths to feed, they ended up getting food and clothing from the Salvation Army. Through much of the hard times, they always had music. For Katherine, who had dreamed to be a country singer, she relished her gifted voice on her kids who begin to sing along to the songs she and the kids would sing together. However, Joseph wasn't too pleased after he caught one of his sons playing his guitar without permission. He only became excited after seeing how truly talented his sons were, due to Katherine's pleas.

Related Topics:
Sears - Salvation Army

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Around this time, Katherine, who had been a very religious woman and until 1965 had been a Baptist, was suggested by a friend to join a religious sect called the Jehovah's Witnesses. Katherine somehow got all of her nine children as they reached a certain age to become a member of the sect with son Michael and daughters Rebbie and La Toya becoming the family's most devoted Witnesses in the family while the rest quit the sect after turning 18.

Related Topics:
1965 - Baptist - Jehovah's Witnesses

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It was Katherine who told Joseph that Michael excelled a special talent for music. It took Joseph three years before realizing 7-year-old Michael could carry the group. He and Jermaine would serve as co-lead singers of the Jackson 5 until Michael was made the main lead singer in 1967, which by this point, the brothers were making ends meet playing at nightclubs for money.

Related Topics:
Jackson 5 - 1967

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In 1969, the Jackson 5 signed with Motown and released four successive #1 hit singles within a year - "I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save" and "I'll Be There". The entire Jackson family music clan moved to California in 1970 eventually living in a gated mansion in Encino. They called the mansion "Hayvenhurst". Though Joseph had dreamed of making it to the big time, Katherine was at first uncomfortable with the surroundings until she was drove out there and saw the sun and a bevy of palm trees.

Related Topics:
1969 - Motown - California - 1970 - Encino - Hayvenhurst

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While the Jackson brothers performed and their father watched them from a distance, Katherine and her second eldest daughter, LaToya, spent time together doing door-to-door activities as part of their Jehovah's Witness regimen. Meanwhile Katherine's marriage to Joseph was crumbling. In 1974, she discovered that Joseph had a baby with another woman. She was later told in books that she didn't want none of her own children to be involved with the stepchild. She filed and later dropped a divorce claim but brought it up again in 1982 after confronting a woman who had been calling Joseph. The woman, Katherine was told, had been fooling around with Joseph and with this, she confronted the woman in her husband's office. Katherine would be sued for neglicence but the case was settled to an undisclosed sum. Katherine once again filed for divorce from Joseph but after Joseph pleaded with her and didn't leave their house, she dropped them once again.

Related Topics:
1974 - 1982

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Due to the rumors surrounding her family and husband, Katherine finally decided to write her own memoirs titled "My Family" in 1990. It was a best-seller. Today, Katherine spends a quiet life in California with husband Joseph and continues to defend her family whenever questioned. For example, she was the only other Jackson member to attend every day of her son Michael's trial from the pre-trial hearings to when Michael was found not guilty. Throughout, she stayed close to her son.

Related Topics:
1990 - California

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