Katherine and Joseph. Who were they really?

With the exception of Eminem's mother, perhaps no celebrity parent has had more bad publicity than Joseph Jackson. It is no surprise that Michael's fans are decidedly against him but others may view Joseph as a parent who did everything he possibly could to give his children the best. Perhaps the truth regarding Joseph's intentions lie somewhere in between. After all, even though Michael had publicly displayed his disdain for his father, privately he had often tried to reconcile with Joseph.

Katherine Jackson on the other hand, represented everything Joseph Jackson was not and with her soft-natured gentleness she had continued to be a loving and compassionate figure in Michael's life. One of the few people in his family that Michael did not want to sever ties with.

One thing is certain however, Katherine and Joseph undoubtedly molded the man and created the very pop genius we have come to know and love. Did they also create "Wacko-Jacko'? The man who was isolated from everyone around him, who engaged in disturbing behavior and believed he could whatever he want, and who many still today believe is a child molester?

Katherine B.Screws (Katherine Jackson)  

 Katherine Jackson was born on May 4th 1930 in Barbour County, Alabama. Her parents were Martha Upshaw and Prince Albert Screws. The mother of Martha Upshaw who was lovingly called Mattie by those who knew her, was named Josephine. This is supposedly how Michael got his middle name. Prince Albert worked  at the Seminole railroad and as a tenant cotton farmer. Katherine's elder sister was named Hattie.I could not find much information about Hattie, other than the fact that she had her surname changed to Given later on due to marriage.


When Katherine was four, her father changed his surname to "Scruse", and renamed his daughter to Katherine Esther.  Katherine had polio when she was just four years old. Because of her polio, Katherine had to take equivalency courses and got her diploma. She and her sister Hattie grew up listening to country-western radio programs and Katherine wanted very much to be a country star when she was older. However, black country stars were unheard of then and this placed a damper on Katherine's dreams. Having had a beautiful soprano voice and being musically inclined, she and her sister became part of their high school orchestra.In fact, Katherine's great grandfather Kendall Brown, a former slave(Screws was the name of the family he worked for and eventually adopted it as his own), was a renowned in the community for his voice and would sing every Sunday at church. As Katherine recalled "People told me that when the church windows were opened, you could hear my great-gandfather's voice ring out all over the valley"

At four, Katherine's family moved to East Chicago, Indiana. This placed her in the same vicinity with her future husband Joesph. Kat had witnessed the unraveling and final breakdown of her parents marriage at a young age. This would probably explain why she has held on so tightly to Joseph throughout the years, despite his temper and philandering ways. Katherine did not want her marriage to end up the same way her parents' union had. 

Martha Upshaw, Michael, and Katherine Jackson.

Michael, Prince Albert and Katherine Jackson.

Joseph Walter "Jo" Jackson

Joe Jackson was born in Fountain Hill, Arkansas to Crystal Lee nee King and Samuel Jackson, a school teacher. The Jackson family moved to East Chicago, Indiana while he was still a toddler. Joseph was the eldest of five children, which included sisters Verna Mae and Lula Mae, and brothers Lawrence and Luther. Samuel was a domineering and strict father, and Joseph often felt lonely in his younger days.

Having such a father, the child Joseph was unsure and had low self confidence, a characteristic that would mold him into the power seeking man he later became. Samuel also set the precedent to how Joseph himself would father his own children. Just like Katherine, Joe's parents got divorced when he was still young, eleven to be precise and  he then lived with his mother and his stepfather. In his teen years, he spent a few years in Oakland where his father relocated. He returned to East Chicago where he eventually began working at East Chicago's Inland Steel Company, where he eventually became a overhead crane operator. He also had a second job at the American Foundries food store.

After meeting Katherine and purchasing the now famous home in Gary, Joseph performed with his blue band the Falcons which included his brother Luther. Despite their efforts, the Falcons failed to get a recording deal and subsequently broke up. Though he had failed in his own musical success with a sibling, he was to live vicariously through his children in the upcoming years. Below: Crystal Lee nee King, a stunning sixteen year old.

Samuel Jackson and members of the Jackson family.