July 26, 1928 : Birth of Joseph Walter Jackson in Fountain Hill, Arkansas. He is the son of Samuel & Chrystal Jackson. Joe is the eldest of five children : Lula Mae Jackson (deceased in 2018), Lawrence Jackson (deceased in 2017), Luther Jackson (deceased in 2021), Verna Mae Jackson (deceased in 1935).
May 4, 1930 : Birth of Katherine Esther Scruse (born Kattie B. Screws) in Barbour Country, Alabama. She is the daughter of Martha Upshaw (December 14, 1907 – April 30, 1990) and Prince Albert Screws (October 16, 1907 – January 21, 1997). The family lives in Russell County, Alabama, a rural farming area that has been home to the family for generations. In 1931, Katherine parents’s have another daughter named Hattie.
1932 : Katherine contracts polio at age two, which leaves her with a noticeable limp
1934 : Prince Screws changed his surname to Scruse and renames Katherine Esther Scruse. The Scruse family moves to East Chicago, Indiana.
1935 : Prince & Martha get a divorce. Martha remains in East Chicago with Katherine & Hattie.
Early 1940’s : Samuel and Chrystal divorce. Samuel moves to Oakland with Joe while Chrystal takes Joseph’s brothers and sisters to East Chicago. Later when Samuel marries a third time, Joseph decides to join his mother and siblings in Indiana.
1948 : Joseph Jackson mets married but his mariage lasts only one year. Soon after he meets Katherine Scruse and they begin dating.
November 5, 1949 : Joseph and Katherine get married in Crown Point after a six month engagement.
January 1950 : Joseph and Katherine move to the city of Gary, Indiana where they purchase a small home for 8500 dollars with a 500 down payment. The two-bedroom house is located at at 2300 Jackson Street.
May 29, 1950 : Katherine gives birth to Maureen “Rebbie” Jackson .
May 4, 1951 :Katherine gives birth to Sigmund “Jackie” Jackson.
October 15, 1953 : Katherine gives birth to Toriano “Tito” Jackson .
December 11, 1954: Katherine gives birth to Jermaine Lajaun Jackson.
May 29, 1956 : Katherine gives birth to LaToya Yvonne Jackson.
March 12, 1957 : Katherine gives birth to baby twins Marlon & Brandon Jackson but Brandon dies eight hours later.
August 29, 1958 : Katherine gives birth to Michael Joseph Jackson in Gary Indiana.
1960 : Father Joe begins coaching Jermaine, Tito and Jackie in his spare time and they are soon joined by Marlon and Michal.Joe later recruits drummer Johnny Jackson.
October 29, 1961 : Katherine gives birth to Steven Randall Jackson (Randy).
1963 : Michael, aged 5, takes over from Jermaine as lead vocalist for the group.
August 29, 1965 : The brother’s first invitation to perform comes courtesy of a children’s s fashion show in Glen Park. Having until then performed as the Jackson Family and The Jackson Brothers, it is here that the name The Jackson 5 is born, in preference to the Jackson Brothers Five suggested by show organizer Evelyn Leahy. They perform three numbers, one being a current hit by The Larks, ‘Doin’ The Jerk.’
After a suggestion from Joe’s sister-in-law, Bobbie Rose Jackson, The Jackson 5, comprising Michael, Marlon, Jermaine, Jackie and Tito, enter and win the Rossevelt High School talent show.
Two months later, The Jackson 5 win the Annual talent Search at Gilroy Stadium. The Jackson 5 also receive their first ever press in the Gary Post Tribune.
Joseph books The Jackson 5 into Mr. Lucky’s, a nightclub in Gary. They earn $8 a night for five sets, six or sometimes even seven days a week. They prove popular with the customers who show appreciation by throwing money onto the stage, amounting to well above their nightly fee.
Late 1965 : Joseph sends Motown founder, Berry Gordy, a tape of The Jackson 5. Three months later, it is returned with no offer.
1966 : The Jackson Five’s first professional shows take place at Mister Lucky’s Laune in Gary.
May 16, 1966 : Katherine gives birth to Janet Damito Jo Jackson in Gary.
August 20, 1966 : While spending some days at their grandfather’s in Arizona, the Jackson 5 perform at Winslow’s Desert Scene Elks Lodge.
1967 : The Jackson 5 win first prize in an amateur talent show at Gary ‘s Memorial Auditorium.
Joe enters the group in the Sunday Night Amateur Talent show at the Regal Theater in Chicago where they become three times winner and also win the Multiple Winners Super Talent show and are placed on the same bill as top R&B act of the year, Gladys Knight & The Pips.
March 22, 1967 : Michael makes his first ever solo public performance during a concert at the James Garnett Elementary School in Gary. He performs “Climb Every Mountain” from The Sound Of Music. Katherine, Joe and Joe’s father Samuel Jackson attend the show.
July 1, 1967 : The Jackson 5 perform at the Masonic Hall in Racine, Wisconsin in Racine, WI.
July 13, 1967 : The Jackson 5 make their first professionnal recording at the George & Ernie Leaner Studio for One-derful Records in Chicago. They record the song “I’m A Big Boy Now” but they do not sign any record deal. This recording session is found 42 years later in 2009 and released in 2014.
August 13, 1967 : The J5 are enter straight into the “Super Dogs” final at Harlem ‘s legendary Apollo Theater in NYC and they win it! They come back as paid performers and Michael, backstage, gets to watch and study his favourite performers James Brown & Jackie Wilson.
New York lawyer, Richard Arons, helps Joe to book gigs in several cities ( Saint Louis , Philadelphia, Kansas City & Washington).
November 21, 1967 : Joe Jackson signs the first Jackson 5 contract with William Adams (aka Gordon Keith), president of Steeltown Records.
Late November/December : The J5 record a new version of “Big Boy” at the Sunny Sawyer Studio in Chicago. They also record the songsrois autres titres : ‘You’ve Changed’, ‘We Don’t Have To Be Over 21 (To Fall In Love)’, ‘Some Girls Want Me For Their Lover’).
Jackson Dynasty 