Paris Jackson has spent her entire life in the shadow of fame, but this week, she confronted one of the most personal and misunderstood parts of her story — her identity. The 25-year-old daughter of Michael Jackson sat down in a rare interview where she reaffirmed what she’s said for years: she identifies as a Black woman. And this time, she’s done explaining why.
“I consider myself Black,” Paris said, echoing the same words she first told Rolling Stone back in 2017. “My dad would look me in the eyes and tell me, ‘You’re Black. Be proud of your roots.’ And I believed him — because he’s my dad. Why would he lie to me?”
Her words, resurfacing across social media this week, reignited a wave of debate about race, heritage, and what it means to belong. Some praised her for speaking her truth. Others accused her of misunderstanding her privilege. But to Paris, it’s not about optics — it’s about upbringing. “I was raised in a Black household,” she said. “My father made sure we knew where we came from.”
“I look like a white girl, but I don’t feel like one. I’m a Black woman, and I know who I am.” — Paris Jackson @PopBase
Growing up in Neverland, Paris was constantly aware of the world watching her — her appearance, her skin, her lineage. “People have been telling me what I am my whole life,” she said in a candid conversation with Elle. “But no one gets to decide that but me.”
Her father, Michael Jackson, famously identified as a proud Black man despite decades of public fascination over his changing appearance. Paris said that while the world obsessed over skin tone and speculation, he taught her something entirely different — that Blackness is cultural, generational, and rooted in history, not in pigment. “He never once let me forget who I was,” she said.
The backlash, however, was immediate. “You’re white,” one user wrote bluntly under a viral TikTok clip of her comments. Others defended her, pointing out that her lived experience, family culture, and father’s teachings shaped her identity more than her appearance ever could.
“When your dad is Michael Jackson — the most famous Black entertainer in the world — your identity is complicated,” one post on X read. “She’s not claiming something she didn’t live; she’s claiming what she was raised to be.”
“Paris Jackson’s identity is her truth. She’s allowed to define herself — not the internet.” @Complex
Paris first spoke openly about her race during a 2017 Rolling Stone profile, where she addressed criticism from those who questioned her right to identify as Black. “Most people don’t realize that African Americans come in all shades,” she said then. “I’m aware of my appearance, but I know who I am because of how I was raised.”
That awareness has followed her into adulthood. “I get that I don’t look Black to some people,” she said in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar. “But I don’t need validation from strangers. I have my father’s blood, my father’s spirit, and my father’s lessons.”
Her statement comes as part of a broader reckoning about identity and mixed heritage in the public eye. Experts like Dr. Aisha Randle of Mayo Clinic told reporters that racial identity often reflects upbringing and community as much as genetics. “For many biracial individuals, cultural immersion defines identity more deeply than phenotype,” she explained.
Paris’s connection to her heritage runs deep. According to a Vanity Fair piece, she attended predominantly Black schools, learned African-American history from her father, and was surrounded by Black mentors. “I was immersed in that culture since day one,” she said. “I never saw myself as anything else.”
But the internet — predictably — had its say. “You don’t get to opt in and out of Blackness when it’s convenient,” one tweet read. Others countered that the criticism only highlights how society polices identity based on appearance. “It’s crazy how people think they can decide who’s Black and who’s not,” another wrote.
“It’s not about color, it’s about culture — and Paris Jackson was raised in a Black household.” @TheShadeRoom
Paris’s post on Instagram following the renewed attention was simple but powerful. “I appreciate every edit, every fan post, every tribute. But please stop lightening or darkening my skin. I am what I am. I don’t need to be corrected.” The caption quickly drew over half a million likes and thousands of supportive comments.
Her fans say this moment — her standing firm in her truth — marks a turning point. “She’s not trying to prove anything,” one wrote. “She’s reclaiming her own narrative.” Another commented: “Her dad fought to be seen as more than his skin color. She’s doing the same.”
For Paris, the message is clear: her identity is not up for debate. “I know who I am because of who raised me,” she said. “People can question it all they want, but I carry my father with me in everything I do.”
As the world continues to dissect her lineage and looks, Paris Jackson seems unfazed. “My dad always said love comes before labels,” she wrote in a story on Instagram. “So I’m loving myself — exactly as I am.”