Joh’Vonnie Jackson is opening up about the complicated reality of growing up connected to one of music’s most famous families.
Jackson is the daughter of late Jackson family patriarch Joe Jackson and Cheryle Ann Terrell. Joe fathered Joh’Vonnie while married to Katherine Jackson. During a recent appearance on “The Portia Show,” Joh’Vonnie discussed growing up largely separated from her famous siblings.
She also addressed being labeled the “bastard child” because of the circumstances surrounding her birth. The phrase would eventually become the title of her memoir, “Bastard Child.”
“I gave the title of the book that — bastard child,” she explained.
Joh’Vonnie began secretly writing about her experiences when she was 15. She did not complete the book until decades later. She described the memoir as a “book of grievances” and a way to release emotions she carried for years.
“It’s my experience, nobody else’s,” she said.
Learning The Truth About Her Parents
Joh’Vonnie said she eventually learned the truth about her parents’ relationship during a conversation with her mother.
“I got a little bit older, and my mother had a conversation with me and let me know the situation between Dad and her. So, that’s when I learned that my mother was a mistress to my father,” Jackson said. “I really didn’t even know what that meant.”
Understanding the situation left her angry with her mother.
“I was very angry. I was very upset. I was feeling like, how can I ever get advice from her when she’s out here doing this. It was really abnormal because I saw my father every day… he was at home with us.”
Joe remained an active presence in Joh’Vonnie’s childhood despite maintaining his marriage and family with Katherine. However, Joh’Vonnie said secrecy surrounding the relationship affected her everyday life.
She knew the Jackson children were her siblings. Still, she could not freely interact with them. That became especially difficult as the family’s fame continued growing.
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