Katherine Jackson

About

Katherine Esther Jackson (née Scruse; born May 4, 1930) is the matriarch of the Jackson family of entertainers that includes her children Michael and Janet Jackson. Michael dedicated his sixth studio album Thriller (1982) to her. Janet did the same with her fourth studio album Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989). In 1985, acknowledging the positive impact on her children’s successful music careers, Essence magazine honored her as “Mother of the Year”.

Jackson was born Katherine Esther Screws on May 4, 1930, in Clayton, Alabama, the elder daughter of Martha (née Upshaw; December 14, 1907 – April 30, 1990) and Prince Albert Scruse (October 16, 1907 – January 21, 1997). She contracted polio at age two, which left her with a noticeable limp. In 1934, her father changed his surname from Screws to Scruse and renamed her Katherine Esther Scruse.
As a child, Jackson aspired to become an actress or a country singer, but was discouraged by the absence of notable Black country performers. Her parents divorced when she was still a child. She attended Washington High School in East Chicago, Indiana, where she joined the school band and school orchestra.