A rare woman nowadays can afford to raise more than two children, and for many, motherhood becomes a real burden. But one very strong woman, by her own example, proved that nine children can be raised and raised in love and care, while some of them are world-class stars, and among them the legend and king of pop Michael Jackson. This is Katherine Jackson. The biography of this beautiful woman is really special, because it was not in vain that in 1985 she was awarded the “Mother of the Year” award.
Young years
The motherland of Katherine Jackson (see the photo of the woman in the article) is the province of Barbour in Alabama (USA), where she was born on May 4, 1930 in the family of farmer Prince Albert Vinta and Martha Upshaw. A little later, their family changed their surname to Skruz in honor of the family, whose slave was Catherine's great-grandfather, whose name was Candell Brown. His melodious voice knew the whole district. Jackson believes that perhaps the tendency to sing was transmitted genetically in her family.
In 1934, the Skruz family moved to Chicago, because my father was looking for work and got a job at the factory, and then on the railroad. But soon, Martha and Prince Albert divorced, and Katherine, as well as her sister Hattie, remained with their mother. In the 30s of the last century, a vaccine for polio, the so-called childhood paralysis, was not yet invented, so in those days many children died from it or remained disabled. It was this disease that struck Katherine in a year and a half. For many years, the girl walked on crutches and spent a considerable amount of time in the hospital. She could not even finish school on time. I got a certificate Catherine already as an adult, having passed evening courses. A small limp remained with her for life.
Music connected them
Even as a teenager, due to her illness, Kate, as her relatives and friends call her, was very shy. Classmates often laughed at her, and the only outlet for her was music. The girl sang in the Baptist church of their town, but dreamed someday to become an artist. As a young girl, she fell in love with Joseph Jackson, who was a very temperamental and musical guy, but he preferred another. True, a year later the couple divorced, and Joe began dating Kate. Soon, on November 5, 1949, they married in Indiana, in a place called Crown Point. Then the couple moved to the industrial town of Gary, where she lived for many years. According to relatives, Katherine Jackson adored her husband, and even knowing his affair on the side, she turned a blind eye to them, because the divorce of her own parents was a serious injury for her. Katherine swore to herself that she would have a marriage once and for a lifetime.
Real mother heroine
The Jackson family lived in the Black Quarter in a small three-room house the head of the family bought in 1950. It was there that all their children were born. The first on May 29, 1950, Rebbi (née Maureen) was born, on May 4 of the following year, Sigmund Esco, better known as Jackie, was born. October 15, 1953 was the birthday of Tito (full name Toriano Adaril), and in December 1954 the third son was born - Jermen Lahuan. The future notorious singer LaToya was born a year later, on May 29.
In March 1957, the twins were born to the Jackson couple, Marlon David and Brandon, although the latter died a few days later. Michael was the seventh child born on August 29, 1958. Katherine Jackson in her book recalled that her mother gave the name to this child. In 1961, Stephen Randall was born, and the last was a girl, Janet Damita, another stellar child of her mother-heroine.
With God in the heart
While Joseph worked hard at the plant to feed all this rather big family, Catherine skillfully ran the house and household. Children were brought up by work, each had his own responsibilities at home. The Jackson family lived very poorly, often there was not enough money for the most necessary things, but they learned to be content with little. Clothing for children Katherine often had to sew herself. She always zealously believed in God, was a Baptist, then a Lutheran, until she found herself in Jehovah's Witnesses. This teaching became a vital basis for her, and she also tried to instill her religious views in the family, especially Rabbi, LaToya and Michael succumbed to her influence.
After an unsuccessful attempt by Joseph, who dreamed of fame, to play in a group, he hid his guitar in the closet. Katherine is the owner of a wonderful soprano, and the guys often took out the instrument and sang together. Father once heard their singing, and so the group “Jackson 5” was born, in which the mother of the family played the role of a stylist and picked up the costumes for the boys.
