Profile Text
Marley on Jamaican stamp printed c. 1995, photo by Neftali /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Robert Nesta Marley
Date of Birth: 6 February, 1945
Place of Birth: Nine Mile, Saint Ann, Jamaica
Date of Death: May 11, 1981
Place of Death: Miami, Florida, U.S.
Ethnicity: Jamaican [English, African]
Bob Marley was a legendary Jamaican reggae singer, songwriter, musician, and guitarist. He was also a lead vocalist and guitarist for ska, rocksteady, and reggae band Bob Marley and the Wailers. He was also known as Berhane Selassie, Skip, and Tuff Gong.
He was the son of Cedella Editha (Malcolm) and Norval Sinclair Marley, a marine officer and plantation overseer. His parents were born in Jamaica, his father in Clarendon, and his mother in Saint Ann’s Bay, Saint Ann. His father had English, and a small amount of African, ancestry. His mother was black. He was quoted saying:
Me don’t dip on the black man’s side nor the white man’s side. Me dip on God’s side, the one who create me and cause me to come from black and white.
Me don’t dip on the black man’s side nor the white man’s side. Me dip on God’s side, the one who create me and cause me to come from black and white.
Bob was married to reggae singer Rita Marley (born Alpharita Constantia Anderson), until his death. Bob had at least eleven children, five, including reggae singers/musicians Sharon Marley, Cedella Marley, Ziggy Marley , and Stephen Marley, with Rita; a son with Pat Williams; a son, entrepreneur and professional football player Rohan Marley , with dancer Janet Hunt; a daughter with Janet Bowen; a son, reggae musician and songwriter Julian Marley, with Lucy Pounder; a son, reggae musician Ky-Mani Marley, with Anita Belnavis; and a son, musician Damian Marley , with jazz musician and model Cindy Breakspeare, who was Miss World 1975. He was the grandfather of musicians Bambaata Marley , Jo Mersa Marley , Skip Marley , Selah Marley , who is also a model, and YG Marley ; and of filmmaker, activist, and actress Donisha Prendergast, and professional football player Nico Marley.
He was baptized by the Archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Church on November 4, 1980 in Kingston, Jamaica.
Bob’s paternal grandfather was Albert Thomas “Robert” Marley (the son of Frederick Marley and Hannah Jane Tiltman). Albert was English, born in South Weald, Brentwood, Essex, to parents who were born in Rye, Sussex. Frederick was the son of Thomas Marley and Jane Simms/Sims. Bob’s great-grandmother Hannah was the daughter of Richard Tiltman and Mary Ann Moore.
Bob’s paternal grandmother was Ellen Ann Bloomfield (the daughter of Richard Bloomfield and Ann Elizabeth Alexander). Ann was born in Clarendon, and was of part African descent, the dauhgter of Thomas Alexander and Sarah Blair.
Bob’s maternal grandfather was Omeriah/Amariah “Custus” Malcolm (the son of Robert Malcolm and Katherine Bygrave). Omeriah was born in Saint Ann. Robert was the son of Harry Malcolm. Katherine was the daughter of Quastin Bygrave.
Bob’s maternal grandmother was Alberta/Albertha Melida Willoughby/Whilby (the daughter of David/Daniel Whilby/Willoughby and Hannah/Anna Downs). Albertha was born in Saint Ann. Daniel was born in Alva, the son of Richard Whilby and Jeanette Robb.
There are claims on the internet that Bob had some degree of Jewish ancestry, sometimes cited as Syrian Jewish, through his father, or, sometimes, his mother. There is no documented evidence that Bob had Jewish ancestry. The Bloomfield family line from which Bob descended, a famous family in Jamaica, is sometimes cited as having been originally Jewish; this is almost certainly false.
Sources: Genealogies of Bob Marley – http://www.wargs.com http://www.geni.com http://www.wikitree.com https://www.findagrave.com