Paris Jackson, daughter of the late pop icon Michael Jackson, recently shared that despite being mixed-race, she identifies as a black woman. She said her father always told her, “You’re black. Be proud of your roots,” and she honors his legacy, both musically and physically. “I consider myself black,” she stated.
Born on April 3, 1998, Paris, an actress, model, and singer, is the daughter of Michael Jackson and Debbie Rowe. She and her brothers, Bigi (22) and Prince (27), grew up in the spotlight. Michael Jackson tried to shield his children from the media, using blankets and masks. After his death in 2009, the children were thrust into the public eye, leading to immense scrutiny. Paris has since struggled with PTSD, sharing that she sometimes experiences audio hallucinations and severe paranoia, resulting from her exposure to the paparazzi.
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She has also opened up about her past struggles with self-hatred, admitting to attempting suicide multiple times by age 15 and entering a treatment facility in 2019. “It was just self-hatred… low self-esteem,” she said.
Today, Paris leans heavily on her older brother Prince, with whom she shares a close bond. Prince describes her as being very similar to their father, both in her strengths and weaknesses. Paris is passionate about her career, having walked the runway for Chanel and led the band The Soundflowers. She is also deeply committed to her father’s musical legacy.
Paris connects with her father’s African-American heritage. Michael Jackson, who had Vitiligo, experienced a changing skin tone over time, which led to public speculation. Despite this, he consistently denied altering his skin tone and proudly identified with his race. Paris echoes her father’s sentiment, stating, “I consider myself black.” She recalls how her father would tell her, “You’re black. Be proud of your roots.”
Although some, like talk show host Wendy Williams, criticized her for identifying as black, Paris stands by her father’s teachings, emphasizing that her racial identity is rooted in his influence.
