Paris Jackson, the sole daughter of the late pop music legend Michael Jackson, recently expressed that although she is of mixed race, she identifies as a black woman.
Paris acknowledges her father’s insistence on her identity as black, urging her to “be proud of your roots.” In honoring both his musical and physical legacy, she states, “I consider myself black.”
Keep reading to learn more about Paris Jackson’s identity!
Born on April 3, 1998, Paris Jackson is an American actress, model, and singer, recognized as the daughter of the legendary Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe.
At the age of 25, Paris, along with her two brothers, Bigi, who is 22, and Prince, who is 27, has grown up in the public eye, attracting considerable attention from fans eager to learn about the latest additions to the Jackson family.
In their youth, the singer of “Billie Jean” endeavored to shield his children from intrusive gazes by utilizing blankets (for Bigi), masks, and veils.
In 2007, Jackson’s bodyguard told People the three kids were “well-mannered, well-behaved kids…They are really level-headed…They were Michael’s first priority.”
In 2009, the protective barrier was dismantled following the death of their father, leaving the young children exposed to the public gaze and transforming them into lucrative targets for the paparazzi.
And it left Paris experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She shared: “I experience audio hallucinations, sometimes, with camera clicks and severe paranoia and have been going to therapy for a lot of things, but that included.”
The young woman also revealed that she had made several suicide attempts by the age of 15, and in 2019, she sought help by entering a treatment facility.
She said: “It was just self-hatred…Low self-esteem, thinking that I couldn’t do anything right, not thinking I was worthy of living anymore.”
‘She is who my dad is’
Currently, she relies significantly on the guidance of her older brother, Prince Michael Jackson, expressing, “He means everything to me, you know?” In a 2020 interview with People, she reflected on her bond with Prince, stating, “I have always admired him and sought his approval in all aspects, aspiring to emulate him.”
Yet Prince says his little sister is more like their father. “Basically, as a person, she is who my dad is. The only thing that’s different would be her age and her gender.”
He notes that his younger sister resembles their father in both her strengths and nearly all of her weaknesses. She possesses a great deal of passion.
Alongside her intense dedication to her career—having walked the runway for prestigious fashion labels such as Chanel and serving as the lead vocalist and guitarist for the band The Soundflowers—she is also devoted to preserving her father’s legacy.
“Everyone in my family does music. I mean, I’m a Jackson,” she said in 2020. “It makes sense that I’m a musician but like, a Jackson doing folk indie?”
All about the race
She also engages with her late father’s racial identity.
Although the “Beat It” artist had lighter skin in his later years, he was an African-American individual who originally had a darker complexion, reportedly affected by Vitiligo, a condition that alters skin pigmentation.
Throughout his career, Jackson encountered considerable speculation regarding his evolving appearance, consistently denying any claims of skin bleaching.
In a 1993 interview with Oprah Winfrey, the “Thriller” icon asserted that the only cosmetic surgery he underwent was a nose job, attributing the lightening of his skin to his Vitiligo.
“I take pride in my race. I take pride in who I am,” Jackson expressed to Winfrey during that conversation.
Considering her father’s African-American background, Paris states that she identifies as black.
Discussing the situation with Rolling Stone magazine in 2017, Paris said that she “considers [herself] black,” and that “[Michael] would look me in the eyes and he’d point his finger at me and he’d be like, ‘You’re black. Be proud of your roots.’”
In reference to her fair complexion, she observes that numerous individuals, due to her dyed blonde hair and vivid blue eyes, often presume she hails from “Finland or something.” She further states, “And I would respond, ‘well, he’s my father; why would he deceive me?’ Therefore, I accept what he has conveyed to me. To the best of my knowledge, he has never been untruthful with me.”
Upon the publication of her racial declaration, it was to be expected that she would face some criticism. Talk show host Wendy Williams expressed her opinions quite openly. mocking Jackson’s only daughter for identifying as a black woman: It is understood that she identifies as black; however, my focus is solely on the visual aspect. It is important to recognize that one’s racial identity is not merely a matter of self-identification, but rather how one is perceived by law enforcement, particularly in critical situations.
She adds: “It’s what they see. But that’s cute and good for her.”
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