Paris Jackson Shares Why She Embraces Her Black Identity

Michael Jackson’s daughter Paris has addressed her racial identity after facing criticism for saying that she identifies as a Black woman.

Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson, now 27 years old, has built a career for herself as both an actress and a singer. She was born in 1998 to Debbie Rowe and the legendary performer best known for his groundbreaking album ‘Thriller’.The Swarm actress is the only daughter of the world-famous singer. She was just 11 years old in 2009 when the heartbreaking news spread that her father, often referred to as the King of Pop, had passed away.

A photo from 2005 shows Michael Jackson. By that time, he had developed Vitiligo, a condition that caused noticeable changes in his skin tone as he got older.

Michael Jackson in 2005. He developed Vitiligo as he got older.Justin Sullivan / Getty

Michael Jackson first rose to fame back in the 1960s when he performed as the youngest member of the Jackson 5. He was joined by his brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon. Their father, Joe Jackson, managed the group, which quickly became a hit-making machine with chart-toppers like ‘ABC,’ ‘I Want You Back’, ‘I’ll Be There,’ ‘Blame it on the Boogie,’ and ‘Can You Feel It’.When he first stepped into the spotlight, the ‘Smooth Criminal’ artist had a darker skin tone, being African-American. However, over the years, he developed Vitiligo. This medical condition gradually caused his skin to lose pigmentation, which led to a lighter appearance as he got older.In 2017, Paris gave a candid interview to Rolling Stone. She talked about what it was like growing up as the daughter of the ‘Billie Jean’ icon, and also addressed the long-standing speculation surrounding whether or not Michael was her biological father.

Paris Jackson.Steve Granitz / Getty

At the age of 18, Paris shared in the 2017 interview that many people tend to label her as white. Some even say she looks like she could be from Finland. But she stood firm in her truth, saying: “I consider myself Black.”. She also mentioned that her dad used to point at her and say: “You’re Black. Be proud of your roots.”“And I’d be like, ‘OK, he’s my dad, why would he lie to me?’ So I just believe what he told me. ‘Cause, to my knowledge, he’s never lied to me,” she continued.

Paris, who was starting to gain attention as a musician at the time, also emphasized that she’s seen many mixed-race children who share a similar skin tone to hers. She gave the example of actor Wentworth Miller, known for his role in Prison Break, who has a white mother and a mixed-race father.Even though some people question whether the late superstar is really her biological father, Paris didn’t waver in her belief. She simply said: “He is my father. He will always be my father. He never wasn’t, and he never will not be.”“People that knew him really well say they see him in me, that it’s almost scary.” she added.

Dave M. Benett / Getty

A moment from 2005 shows Michael Jackson with his children, Prince and Paris.In another part of the interview, Paris — who also goes by the name of the ‘Let Down’ vocalist talked about her childhood with her brothers Prince and Bigi, whose nickname is “Blanket”. They were raised at the famous Neverland Ranch, which was filled with fun attractions like a zoo, movie theater, and even an amusement park.Even though she grew up on a massive 2,700-acre estate in California, Paris said their upbringing felt normal to her. She explained that she and her brothers couldn’t just go on rides whenever they felt like it. There were rules, and those rules had to be followed.

“We had school every single day, and we had to be good. And if we were good, every other weekend or so, we could choose whether we were gonna go to the movie theater or see the animals or whatever.” she said. “But if you were on bad behavior, then you wouldn’t get to go do all those things.”Paris also gave credit to her father for raising her in an “open-minded house.”. She shared a memory from her younger years when she realized she was “in love with this female on the cover of a magazine.”.“Instead of yelling at me, like most homophobic parents, he was making fun of me, like, ‘Oh, you got yourself a girlfriend.’” she said. “His number-one focus for us, besides loving us, was education.” Paris sweetly added.