They say family is what you make it, and in the case of some of our favorite celebrities, being adopted is just one part of their entire story. Over 80,000 Black children are currently in foster care– a complex and often criticized system. Still, folks like singer Keyshia Cole and entertainer Jamie Foxx adoption stories will have you shocked.
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Despite experiencing difficult childhoods, these famous entertainers have defied all odds against them! Ahead of National Adoption Month in November, we’re taking a look at some of the many Black celebrities you probably didn’t know were adopted.
Keyshia Cole
Singer Keyshia Cole was adopted by family friends when she was just two years old. Her biological father struggled with substance abuse as a single father, sending Cole in foster care, according to the Grammy museum. Eventually, Leon Joseph C. Phillips and Yvonne Coles Tonia Jackson took Cole in until she was kicked out for not following rules.
Gary Coleman
Late childhood actor Gary Coleman was born to a homeless woman in Chicago. Days later, he was adopted by Willie and Sue Coleman, who raised him in Illinois, according to Happenings Magazine. The “Diff’rent Strokes” actor’s adoptive father worked for a pharmaceutical firm, and his adoptive mother worked as a nurse.
Nelson Mandela
South African leader Nelson Mandela– born Rolihlahla Mandela– was raised by his biological father until he died when Mandela was only nine years old. Then, he was adopted by Jongintaba Dalindyebo, who was the regent of the Thembu tribe. He was gifted the name Nelson by a teacher, according to USA Today.
Simone Biles
Olympian Simone Biles was adopted after her parents struggled with substance abuse. “Growing up, my biological mom was suffering from drug and alcohol abuse and she was in and out of jail,” Biles revealed. “I never had mom to run to. I do remember always being hungry and afraid. At 3 years old, I was placed in foster care.” She was eventually adopted by a Black couple, Nellie and Ron Biles, according to NBC News.
Darryl ”DMC” McDaniels
Darryl McDaniels, a founding member of the rap group Run-D.M.C., didn’t know he was adopted until he was 35 years old. He called it a “traumatic, shocking revelation.” Apparently, the secret was kept by members of his own family, who also didn’t tell him he had been in foster care when he was young.
Nicole Richie
Nicole Richie was adopted by legendary singer Lionel Richie and his ex-wife, Brenda Harvey. Her biological parents were friends of the Richies, but they were unable to care for their daughter financially. When she was four, the Richies became Nicole’s legal guardians. They officially adopted her at age nine, PEOPLE reported.
Jesse Jackson
Civil Rights activist Jesse Jackson was born Jesse Burns in 1941, but one year after his birth, his mother married his stepfather, Charles Henry Jackson, and adopted him, changing Jackson’s last name. His birth father was Noah Robinson.
Tommy Davidson
After being dumped inside a trash can at just 18 months old, comedian Tommy Davidson was found by a white woman named Barbara Davidson. She raised him and eventually adopted him. “She saved my life- I am forever her son, a Davidson,” he said.
Bo Diddley
Guitarist and singer Bo Diddley was adopted by his mother’s cousin, who was named Gussie McDaniel. At a young age, Diddley moved from Mississippi to Chicago where he adopted the surname McDaniel and later changed his name to Bo Diddley as a teen.
Allan Pineda Lindo
Allan Pineda Lindo is a founding member of the hip-hop group Black Eyed Peas. Born in the Philippines, Lindo was adopted by an American family when he was 14. Originally, he was brought to America through a sponsorship program to receive medical treatment. His sponsor later adopted him.
Colin Kaepernick
Ex-NFL star Colin Kaepernick was adopted by a white couple after he was put up for adoption by his biological mother, who is also white. His biological father, a Black man, was not present in Kaepernick’s life. His adoptive family took the future athlete in after the deaths of their own biological sons, PEOPLE reported.
Rachel Crow
Singer Rachel Crow grew up a happy child despite being born into unfortunate circumstances. “She was born a crack baby and actually lived in a crack house and suffered a lot of abuse,” her adoptive mother told the New York Post. “But she is totally unaffected by it. She never looks at it in a sad way. She looks at it as that is what made her the person she is.”
Jamie Foxx
Jamie Foxx was adopted by his maternal grandparents when he was only seven months old, PEOPLE reported. His biological parents were not very involved in his Texas childhood, and he credits his grandparents with providing him with love and support.
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