Profile Text
Houston in 2007, photo by prphotos
Birth Name: Emily Lee Drinkard
Date of Birth: September 30, 1933
Place of Birth: Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Date of Death: October 7, 2024
Place of Death: Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Ethnicity: African-American, with small amounts of English, Irish, and Scottish
Cissy Houston was an American soul and gospel singer. Her family formed a family gospel group, The Drinkard Jubilairs, later The Drinkard Singers, who recorded the first gospel album on a major label. She was a founding member of R&B group The Sweet Inspirations.
She was the daughter of Adelia/Delia Mae (McCaskill) and Nitcholas/Nicholas Arthur “Nitch” Drinkard. Her father was born in Hilton, Early, Georgia. Her mother was born in Freeport, Walton County, Florida. She was a cousin of spinto soprano Leontyne Price (Mary Violet Leontyne Price). Cissy had a son, professional basketball player Gary Garland, with her former husband Freddie Garland; and two children, including singer and actress Whitney Houston , with her former husband, administrator and entertainment executive John Russell Houston, Jr. She was the maternal grandmother of reality television personality and singer Bobbi Kristina Brown . Cissy was the aunt of singer, actress, and television show host Dionne Warwick and singer Dee Dee Warwick.
Cissy’s parents were both African-American, and she also had a small amount of English, Irish, and Scottish ancestry. Cissy stated in an interview that she also had Dutch and Native American ancestry. It is not clear if this Native American ancestry has been verified/documented.
Cissy’s paternal grandfather was John Drinkard, Jr. (the son of John Drinkard, Sr. and Victoria Hansom). Cissy’s grandfather John was born in Blakely, Early County, Georgia. Cissy’s great-grandfather John was born in Mississippi, and was a landowner near the border of Georgia and Alabama.
Cissy’s paternal grandmother was named Susie/Susan Belle/Bell “Delia” Fuller. Susan was born in Talbotton, Talbot County, Georgia.
Cissy’s maternal grandfather was named Stephen McCaskill (the son of Annie/Ann Hogan). Stephen was born in Florida. His biological father likely was John Jett McCaskill, who was white.
Cissy’s maternal grandmother was Emma L. Houston (the daughter of Oliver Houston and Rachel/Rachael Hill). Emma was born in Florida.
A DNA test whose results were displayed on the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2024) stated that Cissy’s niece Dionne’s genetic ancestry consists of:
*80% African ——–*24% Nigeria ——–*23% Benin & Togo ——–*14% Cameroon, Congo, & Western Bantu Peoples ——–*9% Mali ——–*6% Ivory Coast & Ghana ——–*4% Senegal *19% European ——–*9% England & NW Europe ——–*5% Ireland ——–*3% Scotland ——–*2% Germanic Europe *1% Asian ——–*1% Southern Philippines
*80% African ——–*24% Nigeria ——–*23% Benin & Togo ——–*14% Cameroon, Congo, & Western Bantu Peoples ——–*9% Mali ——–*6% Ivory Coast & Ghana ——–*4% Senegal *19% European ——–*9% England & NW Europe ——–*5% Ireland ——–*3% Scotland ——–*2% Germanic Europe *1% Asian ——–*1% Southern Philippines
Sources: Genealogies of Cissy Houston – http://www.geni.com https://famouskin.com https://www.findagrave.com
Cissy speaks of their ancestors – http://www.youtube.com
Cissy’s paternal grandparents, John Drinkard, Jr. and Susie/Susan Belle/Bell Fuller, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Cissy’s mother on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
Cissy’s maternal grandparents, Stephen McCaskill and Emma L. Houston, on the 1900 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org
City’s maternal grandfather, Stephen McCaskill, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org