When people think of the Jackson family, they automatically think of Janet Jackson, Jermaine Jackson, and of course, the late great Michael Jackson.

But more than just producing these pop icons, Joseph and Katherine Jackson of Gary, IN forever changed the pop culture landscape. They brought to light the predatory nature of the music industry and protected their own against all interlopers.

In so doing, the Jackson family became an unstoppable force.

Despite the problems that Michael Jackson, especially, seemed to have with his father, he eventually forgave him and proclaimed an annual “Joseph Jackson Day” at Neverland Ranch. As Michael would later explain during an emotional speech at Carnegie Hall in 2001, his father was the product of the Great Depression and the Jim Crow era of the United States. And these traits hardened him emotionally. But, despite this, he did his best to give his children the best the world had to offer and did it in the face of all the detractors who said they couldn’t.

Despite Michael’s popularity, the Jackson family didn’t need to solely rely on the legendary King of Pop to make their own way in the world. Let’s take a look at how the other members of the Jackson family made their own impact.

Editorial note: The net worths listed in this piece are speculative estimates drawn from a variety of online sources.

Jackson Family

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