Katherine Jackson
Jackson family matriarch; mother of ten including Michael and Janet, guardian of Michael's children after 2009, played by Nia Long in Michael (2026).
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- Country
- United States
- Full name
- Katherine Esther Jackson (née Scruse; born Kattie B. Screws)
- Known for
- Matriarch of the Jackson family; mother of ten children including Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson; court-appointed guardian of Michael Jackson's three children after his death in 2009; widow of Joe Jackson.
- Born
- 4 May 1930, Clayton, Barbour County, Alabama
- Faith
- Devout Jehovah's Witness
- Children
- Ten with Joe Jackson between 1950 and 1966 — Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Brandon (died shortly after birth), Michael, Randy and Janet
- Author
- My Family, the Jacksons (autobiography, January 1990, with Richard Wiseman); Never Can Say Goodbye: The Katherine Jackson Story (2010)
Overview
Katherine Esther Jackson (born Kattie B. Screws, 4 May 1930) is the matriarch of the Jackson family — mother of ten, including Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson, widow of Joe Jackson, and the court-appointed guardian of Michael’s three children after his 2009 death; she is portrayed by Nia Long in the 2026 biopic Michael (People; Britannica).
Born in Clayton, Barbour County, Alabama, she contracted polio as a small child and walked with a limp for the rest of her life; at four, her father changed the family surname from Screws to Scruse and renamed her Katherine Esther Scruse (People). The family moved to East Chicago, Indiana, where she played in her high school band, and in 1947 she met Joseph Jackson at a party; they married on 5 November 1949 and bought a small house at 2300 Jackson Street in Gary (People; Britannica). A talented singer and pianist and a devout Jehovah’s Witness, Britannica describes her as “a loving and supportive mother, a bedrock of strength” — the counterweight to Joe’s severity (Britannica; Men’s Journal).
The matriarch of the Jackson family
Katherine’s musical ear shaped the dynasty before it had a name. Michael wrote in his 1988 autobiography Moonwalk that it was his mother who convinced Joe to let him join the brothers’ group — first as a backup singer and bongo player — and Biography.com credits her as the Jackson 5’s early costume designer (People; Men’s Journal). Between 1950 and 1966 she gave birth to ten children — three daughters and seven sons — while Joe worked the steel mills and then managed the group full-time (People).
| Child | Born |
|---|---|
| Maureen Reillette “Rebbie” | 29 May 1950 |
| Sigmund Esco “Jackie” | 4 May 1951 |
| Toriano Adaryll “Tito” | 15 Oct 1953 |
| Jermaine La Jaune | 11 Dec 1954 |
| La Toya Yvonne | 29 May 1956 |
| Marlon David and Brandon David (twins) | 12 Mar 1957 — Brandon died shortly after birth |
| Michael Joseph | 29 Aug 1958 |
| Steven Randall “Randy” | 29 Oct 1961 |
| Janet Damita Jo | 16 May 1966 |
Ten children in sixteen years, and at least 27 grandchildren since (People) — a family scale that explains why her later guardianship fight became front-page news for weeks. In January 1990 she published her autobiography, My Family, the Jacksons, co-written with Richard Wiseman, followed in 2010 by the photo memoir Never Can Say Goodbye: The Katherine Jackson Story (People).
Guardian of Michael’s children
When Michael Jackson died in June 2009, his will named his mother as the legal guardian of his three children, and a court appointed her within days (Britannica; The Associated Press). A settlement with Debbie Rowe, the mother of Prince and Paris, made Katherine their permanent guardian with Rowe receiving visitation rights (People).
The arrangement fractured in July 2012: after a week in Arizona without contacting the children, a relative reported her missing, and on 25 July a judge suspended her guardianship, naming TJ Jackson temporary guardian (The Associated Press). She was found safe and reinstated as co-guardian with TJ on 9 August, the judge citing a glowing investigator’s report: “I think the kids are in terrific hands” (The Associated Press).
She resigned as Bigi’s co-guardian in 2017 when he was 15 (People); in 2024 she opposed the estate’s ~$600 million Sony catalog sale, and after grandson Bigi asked the court not to fund her appeal, a judge let the sale proceed in August 2024 (People).
Portrayed by Nia Long in Michael (2026)
In the 2026 biopic Michael, Katherine is played by Nia Long, opposite Colman Domingo as Joe (People). Long told People she saw Katherine’s story as “rooted in grace” and sensed “a strong and kind spirit” in the matriarch — though she had not met Katherine in person — calling the role “an opportunity of a lifetime”: “I know what it is to be a mother… But I don’t know what it is to raise a superstar” (ABC Audio). In the film’s telling, the mother-son bond is warm — coverage describes scenes of Katherine and Michael watching movies and eating ice cream together on the sofa, set against Joe’s severity (Men’s Journal). Now 96, Katherine keeps a low public profile; she was last widely seen in a March 2026 video posted by her daughter La Toya marking her approaching 96th birthday (Men’s Journal).
Frequently asked questions
Is Katherine Jackson still alive? Yes. She was confirmed alive in May 2026 at age 96 — her daughter La Toya posted a video in March 2026 noting she would turn 96 on May 4. She keeps a low public profile and was widowed in 2018 by Joe Jackson’s death.
How many children does Katherine Jackson have? Ten with Joe Jackson, born between 1950 and 1966: Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Michael, Randy and Janet — plus Marlon’s twin Brandon, who died shortly after birth. She has at least 27 grandchildren.
Why was Katherine Jackson’s guardianship suspended in 2012? After she spent more than a week in Arizona without contacting Michael’s children, a relative reported her missing and a judge temporarily suspended her guardianship on 25 July 2012, naming TJ Jackson as temporary guardian. She was found safe and reinstated as co-guardian alongside TJ on 9 August, backed by a glowing court investigator’s report.
Who plays Katherine Jackson in the 2026 film Michael? Nia Long. She described Katherine’s story as “rooted in grace” and called the role “an opportunity of a lifetime,” while noting she had not met Katherine in person before filming.
What is Katherine Jackson’s religion? She is a devout Jehovah’s Witness, a faith she held throughout the family’s rise; Britannica describes her as “a loving and supportive mother, a bedrock of strength, and a devout Jehovah’s Witness.”
What this profile does not claim
- It does not assert the Essence “Mother of the Year” honor beyond the 1985 dating given by biographical sources; the year is flagged in openItems because one tertiary source says 1986 and it was not verified against Essence’s archive.
- It does not repeat People’s “Tito” wording for the 2012 and 2017 guardianship changes; the Associated Press’s TJ Jackson (Tito’s son) is used, with the discrepancy flagged.
- It does not describe the 2012 Arizona episode beyond what the AP documented — no position on the family’s competing accounts of why she was there.
- It does not detail the 2024 Sony catalog dispute beyond the documented court-filings reporting and the August 2024 ruling.
- It publishes no private health details; her age and low public profile are the only personal facts stated.
Timeline
- 1930
- Born Kattie B. Screws on 4 May 1930 in Clayton, Alabama, to Prince Albert and Martha Screws; contracts polio as a child, leaving her with a lifelong limp.
- 1934
- Her father changes the family surname from Screws to Scruse and renames her Katherine Esther Scruse; the family moves to East Chicago, Indiana.
- 1949
- Marries Joseph Jackson on 5 November 1949 in Indiana; the couple buys a small house at 2300 Jackson Street, Gary, Indiana.
- 1950–1966
- Gives birth to ten children — three daughters and seven sons — including Michael (1958) and Janet (1966).
- 1990
- Publishes her autobiography, My Family, the Jacksons, co-written with Richard Wiseman.
- 2009
- A court appoints her guardian of Michael Jackson's three children within days of his death in June 2009, as his will had directed.
- 2012
- Her guardianship is temporarily suspended in July after she is reported missing during a stay in Arizona; she is found safe and reinstated as co-guardian alongside TJ Jackson, with a court investigator's report described by the judge as glowing.
- 2017
- Resigns as co-guardian of Michael's youngest child, Bigi, then 15.
- 2018
- Widowed on 27 June 2018 by the death of Joe Jackson.
- 2024
- Opposes the Michael Jackson estate's proposed ~$600 million catalog sale to Sony; a judge rules the sale may proceed, rejecting her appeal bid.
- 2026
- Nia Long portrays her in the biopic Michael, released in April 2026.
What we could not verify
These claims came up in research and could not be confirmed. They are recorded here rather than published as fact or quietly dropped. If you hold a source that settles one, please tell us.
- People's Katherine profile twice names 'Tito' where the Associated Press reports 'TJ Jackson' (Tito's son) — for the 2012 co-guardianship reinstatement and the 2017 Bigi sole-guardianship. The AP's TJ Jackson is used here; the discrepancy is flagged, not silently resolved.
- The year of Essence magazine's 'Mother of the Year' honor is given as 1985 by en.wikipedia and biographical outlets (BlackDoctor, JubileeCast) but 1986 by Simple Wikipedia. The honor is asserted with the 1985 dating and the conflict flagged; it was not verified against Essence's own archive.
- People reports that the post-2009 custody settlement included 'continued spousal support' for Debbie Rowe; the mechanism is unclear in the source and the detail is not asserted here — only the custody and visitation terms are stated.
- Britannica's family-tree narrative says the couple 'raised nine children' in the Gary house; People documents ten births (1950–1966) with Brandon dying in infancy. Both are consistent with nine children raised to adulthood; the profile states ten births.
- Katherine's 2012 Arizona absence generated conflicting family accounts at the time (held against her will vs. a planned stay). The profile reports only what the AP documented: the missing-person report, her being found safe, and the court's glowing investigator report — not the family's competing claims.
Sources
6 sources (4 tier 1, 2 tier 2), each opened and read against the claim it supports. Every source is independent of the subject; no first-party material is cited. See the source policy.
Built from six sources read in full: four tier1 (People, Britannica, two Associated Press reports) and two tier2 (ABC Audio, Men's Journal). Wikipedia was consulted only as a lead index and is not cited. The Biography.com material on her costume-design work and faith reaches this profile second-hand via Men's Journal and is flagged as such. The 2024 estate dispute is reported only as documented court-filings coverage, not as adjudicated fact beyond the rulings stated. Living-person care applies throughout: the profile sticks to documented public facts and omits private health details reported in passing by entertainment outlets.
- Supports: Born Kattie B. Screws on 4 May 1930 in Clayton, Ala., to Prince Albert and Martha Screws; childhood polio and lifelong limp; renamed Katherine Esther Scruse at age 4; East Chicago, Washington High School band; met Joe in 1947, married 5 November 1949, house at 2300 Jackson Street, Gary; divorce filings in March 1973 (dismissed) and 1982 (rescinded); ten children with birth dates (Rebbie 29 May 1950; Jackie 4 May 1951; Tito 15 Oct 1953; Jermaine 11 Dec 1954; La Toya 29 May 1956; twins Marlon and Brandon 12 Mar 1957, Brandon died shortly after birth; Michael 29 Aug 1958; Randy 29 Oct 1961; Janet 16 May 1966); convinced Joe to let Michael join the band as backup singer and bongo player; autobiography My Family, the Jacksons (Jan 1990, with Richard Wiseman) and Never Can Say Goodbye (2010); custody of Michael's three children as permanent guardian with Debbie Rowe receiving visitation; the 2012 suspension and missing episode; resignation as Bigi's co-guardian in 2017 when he was 15; the March–August 2024 Sony catalog-sale dispute (Bigi's court filing, ~$600M sale, judge's ruling); at least 27 grandchildren; Nia Long cast as Katherine in Michael Open original source
- Supports: Maternal grandparents Prince Albert Scruse and Martha Upshaw, tenant farmers from Alabama; daughters Kattie and Hattie, the elder Kattie later becoming Katherine Esther; Joseph and Katherine met as teenagers at a party, Joseph's first marriage annulled, wed in 1949; Katherine a talented singer and pianist; Katherine as 'a loving and supportive mother, a bedrock of strength, and a devout Jehovah's Witness'; Michael's will left nothing to his father but named his mother legal guardian of his children; the couple remained married until Joe's death in 2018 Open original source
- Supports: The 9 August 2012 ruling making TJ Jackson co-guardian alongside Katherine on a temporary basis (could become permanent); Katherine reported missing then found at a Tucson, Arizona resort; the court investigator's 'glowing report' — 'Katherine Jackson has done a wonderful job and cares about the children very much' and the judge's 'terrific hands' assessment; TJ as Tito's son, aged 34, with a strong bond to the children Open original source
- Supports: A court appointed Katherine Jackson guardian of Michael's children within days of his June 2009 death; the 25 July 2012 hearing temporarily suspending her guardianship after she went more than a week without speaking to the children while in Arizona; the 23 July 2012 driveway disturbance at the Calabasas home under sheriff's investigation Open original source
- Supports: Nia Long cast as Katherine Jackson in Michael (April 24, 2026 release); Long's People-interview remarks — 'I know what it is to be a mother... But I don't know what it is to raise a superstar'; Katherine's story as 'rooted in grace' with a 'strong and kind' spirit; Long had not met Katherine in person; the role as 'an opportunity of a lifetime' Open original source
- Supports: Katherine confirmed alive in May 2026, aged 96 (via a March 2026 video posted by La Toya Jackson noting her 4 May birthday); Biography.com's account, reported here, of Katherine as the Jackson 5's early costume designer, a devout Jehovah's Witness, a 'strict' disciplinarian, pianist and singer, born Kattie B. Screws on 4 May 1930 in Barbour County, Alabama Open original source
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