Kat jaslyn Nouel Baez
Feb 10,2020
Who Is Katherine Jackson?
Katherine Jackson was born Kattie B. Screws in Barbour County, Alabama, on May 4, 1930. She and husband Joseph Jackson had 10 children together. She encouraged her children's musical talents, and when sons Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon, Michael and Tito became the Jackson 5, she acted as costume designer. Katherine remained supportive to her most famous son, Michael, through his success as well as his troubles. After Michael's death in June 2009, she became the legal guardian of his three children, Paris Michael Katherine, Michael Joseph "Prince" Jr. and Prince Michael "Blanket" ll.
Early Life
Best known as the matriarch of the famed Jackson family, long-revered for its musical talent, Katherine Esther Jackson was born Kattie B. Screws on May 4, 1930, in Barbour County, Alabama. The daughter of Martha Mattie Upshaw and Prince Albert Screws, Katherine contracted polio at a young age. While she eventually recovered from her illness, the disease left her with a life-long limp. At the age of four, she moved with her family to East Chicago, Indiana, and her name was changed to Katherine Esther Scruse (her father decided to rename her in conjunction with changing his surname to "Scruse"). Scruse met Joseph Jackson when she was still a teenager. Jackson was a boxer and aspiring musician who was married when the two first met. In November 1949, after Jackson divorced his first wife, the couple married. They moved to Gary, Indiana, and would have 10 children over the next 16 years. While her husband worked as a crane operator at U.S. Steel, Katherine was a homemaker. A devout Jehovah's Witness, Katherine raised the children in her faith, and with strict discipline. A pianist and singer, she also encouraged the family's musical talents. Her son, Michael, would later credit his mother with giving him his vocal gifts.Shaping the Jackson 5Soon after noticing his children's various musical abilities, Joe Jackson devoted himself to molding them into a well-rehearsed group. In 1964, the Jackson Five was formed, consisting of sons Jackie, Jermaine, Marlon, Michael and Tito Jackson. As their fame grew, the group performed at talent shows and opening acts that took them all over the country, including to the renowned Apollo Theater in Harlem, New York, where they won an amateur-night competition in 1967. During this time, Katherine acted as the group's designer, often making suits and costumes for her sons to wear during their performances.After the Jackson 5 signed with Motown Records in 1968, Katherine took a backseat on the group's affairs, but continued to be a supportive mother. As her son, Michael, skyrockted to fame as a solo artist, she stuck by his side through his highs and lows, from his success with the album Thriller to his 2005 struggle with child-molestation charges. She also continued to be a supportive wife through her husband's public indiscretions with women. Despite several tumultuous moments in their relationship, they remain together, residing in a mansion in Encino, California.
Death of Michael JacksonIn June 2009, Katherine Jackson was pulled into the media spotlight when her son, "King of Pop" Michael Jackson, died after suffering cardiac arrest from acute propofol intoxication in his Los Angeles home. In a copy of Michael's will, his mother was listed as the guardian of his three children, Paris Michael Katherine, Michael Joseph "Prince" Jr. and Prince Michael "Blanket" II. She was also named as one of the recipient's of the pop star's estimated $500 million fortune.In February 2010, an official coroner's report on Michael Jackson's cause of death was released, revealing that the singer had died from acute propofol intoxication. The overdose had reportedly worked in combination with a lethal prescription drug cocktail — which included the pain killer Demerol, as well as lorazepam, midazolam, benzodiazepine, diazepine and ephedrine — to shut down the star's weakened heart. Aided by his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael had used the drugs to help him sleep at night.After a police investigation revealed that Dr. Murray was not licensed to prescribe most controlled drugs in California, his actions while caring for Michael Jackson were further scrutinized. The singer's death was ruled a homicide, and Murray, in turn, found himself facing an involuntary manslaughter charge. Murray was found guilty on November 7, 2011. He later received a four-year prison sentence.
Jackson Family DramaIn July 2012, Katherine Jackson was again thrown into the media spotlight after a bizarre incident in which a family member reported her missing. While it was soon discovered that Katherine had taken a trip to Arizona, where she was spending time with family, a judge suspended Katherine as guardian of Michael's children just a few days later. On July 25, 2012, T.J. Jackson, son of Tito Jackson, was appointed temporary guardian of Paris, Prince and Blanket, stating that he was suspending Katherine Jackson's guardianship because she had been gone and out of communication with the children for 10 days.Before Katherine's location could be confirmed, speculation quickly grew regarding her whereabouts, with Paris, Prince and Blanket becoming worried that they were possibly being prevented from communicating with their grandmother by other family members. Exacerbating the paranoia, Katherine Jackson's "disappearance" came shortly after a dispute between her and several members of the Jackson clan — including singer Janet Jackson — who raised questions about the validity of Michael Jackson's will, pointing fingers at the Jackson matriarch and calling for the executors of his estate to resign. On August 2, 2012, a judge restored Katherine Jackson as the primary guardian of Paris, Prince and Blanket, also approving a plan granting T.J. Jackson co-guardianship of the children.In late 2012, the Jackson family was once again entangled in a legal battle. Believing that AEG Live — the company that promoted Michael Jackson's planned comeback series, "This Is It," in 2009 — had failed to effectively protect the singer while he was under Conrad Murray's care, and, thusly, was liable for his death, the Jacksons decided to sue the company. Katherine Jackson officially filed a wrongful death lawsuit against A.E.G. with her grandchildren.The trial began on April 29, 2013, with Katherine being represented by attorney Brian Panish. "They wanted to be No. 1 at all costs," Panish said during his opening statements on the first day of the trial. "We're not looking for any sympathy ... we're looking for truth and justice." Lawyers sought up to $1.5 billion — an estimation of what Michael Jackson could have earned over the months since his death, if he were alive — in the case, but, in October 2013, a jury determined that A.E.G. was not responsible for Michael's death. "Although Michael Jackson's death was a terrible tragedy, it was not a tragedy of A.E.G. Live's making," said Marvin S. Putnam, A.E.G.'s lawyer.
Katherine Jackson is best known for being the mother of international pop superstar Michael Jackson and the rest of the famous Jackson family.
Recent yearsJackson has spent the last couple of decades talking to the press defending her children, mainly Michael, who began to gain notoriety. In a recent interview promoting her Michael Jackson vip Book/DVD on The Oprah Winfrey Show, however, Mrs. Jackson acknowledged that she got her husband to admit to physically disciplining their children.Over the years, some claimed that Joe was abusive towards his children, which he continually denied. Jackson currently resides with her grandson T. J. Jackson, along with his family, at her home in Calabasas, California, the home in which she has been living since 2011. Jackson had moved out of her Hayvenhurst home in Encino, California, due to house renovations.Despite rumors that she was estranged from Joe, she denied it and dismissed rumors that Joe was banned from the Jackson family home as false, which was something the media had tried to cook up.According to her son Jermaine Jackson's 2011 book You Are Not Alone: Michael Through a Brother's Eyes, Jackson had told Michael that she was nearing the age of 80 and before she died, she wanted to see her sons perform together one last time. One of Michael Jackson's future plans as part of his deal with AEG Live was a final reunion tour with his brothers. She most recently appeared at the BET Awards 2015 with her daughter Janet as she accepted the Ultimate Icon Award. Katherine's husband Joe died from pancreatic cancer on June 27, 2018, two days after the 9th anniversary of Michael Jackson's death. 
Joseph and Katherine shared the same goal in life: fame and fortune. And Joseph had his own band called The Falcons with his brother Luther and a friend. They rehearsed a lot, played R&B songs and they wrote their own songs. Katherine also dreamt of becoming an entertainer, the first black country music star. But this dream had to be passed on to her children, since Katherine suffered polio as very young child. Luckily she survived, but Katherine would have a limp for the rest of her life.By 1964, Joseph had discovered that his three eldest sons, Jackie, Tito and Jermaine, had musical talent. He had Tito play for him with Jackie and Jermaine backing up vocally. Seeing their budding talent, he helped form an early incarnation of The Jackson 5 with two neighborhood youths though eventually younger brothers Marlon and 
Michael joined. Joseph and Katherine had 10 children together and now have many many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Their children are Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon (twin brother Brandon passed away within 24 hours after birth), Michael, Randy and Janet.
