One of the best-selling girl groups is The Supremes which Diana Ross used to be the lead singer. That group has paved the way for numerous African American musicians to also have space in the entertainment industry.
The singer has been an extraordinary icon that has made history. With this, many fans have been wondering: is Diana Ross black? What’s her ethnicity? You will get answers to that questions if you keep reading this post.
We have consulted the research made by the genealogist. Below are things we find out. Scroll down!
Is Diana Ross Black?
Her complexion and afro hair are among the proof that the legendary singer is indeed black. But she is not pure black. It is stated in various sources that the international songstress also has native ancestry.
However, it is not clearly stated which Native American ancestry. Also, find out later why it has not been properly documented or verified. Nonetheless, the superstar is African American and not pure black.
What Is Diana Ross Ethnicity?
Again, the global artist has African and American roots. She was born in Michigan, and her parents are both from the United States. When we look at what the genealogists have traced, her lineage is initially enslaved people from Africa who eventually migrated to North America.
Her paternal grandfather, William Edward Ross, and grandmother, Ida Ross, used to live in Virginia. But when her grandmother died, the family had to move. Fred, the singer’s father, was only two years old.
All the children were sent to Tennessee to be raised by a particular family there. Later on, they are sent to Michigan to live with another family. This is where the parents of the songstress met and got married.
The great grandfather of the music icon was discovered to be born as an enslaved person. Eventually, the owner of the plantation freed all the enslaved people in 1850. This is why the family has Ross as a last name. They have gotten it to Frederick Ross, the owner of the plantation.
It is the owner who typically gave the name, including the last names of the enslaved people. That is why it was not possible anymore to trace back their descendants. Plus, only through verbal communications can a family history be passed down.
Correspondingly, it is even harder to trace the singer’s lineage on her mother’s side. Ernestine Ross was born in Alabama. She moved to Detroit, where she met Fred Ross.
The maternal grandfather of the legendary musician is a father. But other than that, only minor details have been known about their family. Nobody even knows anything about her grandmother and the rest of the family. One thing is clear, they come from Alabama.
Is Diana Ross Biracial?
Yes, Diana Ross is biracial, and so are her four children. She shares two children with her ex-husband, Robert Ellis Silberstein, a Caucasian, and two children with Arne Naess, Jr., who is a Norwegian.
It’s A Wrap!
Is Diana Ross black? Now, you know that the legendary music icon is African-American.
Her girl back then was the first black girl group considered a best-selling group of all time. The singer herself, as a solo artist, has made history in the entertainment industry.
