Profile Text
Booker in 2010, photo by prphotos
Birth Name: Cory Anthony Booker
Place of Birth: Washington, D.C., U.S.
Date of Birth: April 27, 1969
Ethnicity: African-American, some English, small amount of Native American, distant German and Irish
Cory Booker is an American politician, attorney, and author. A member of the Democratic Party, he has served as a U.S. Senator from New Jersey, since October 31, 2013. He was previously Mayor of Newark, NJ, from July 1, 2006 to October 31, 2013.
He was a candidate for the Democratic Party’s nomination for President of the United States in 2020 .
Cory is the son of Carolyn Rose (Jordan) and Cary Alfred Booker, who were executives at IMB. His father was from Hendersonville, North Carolina. His mother was from Detroit, Michigan. Cory’s parents are/were both black, as were all of his grandparents. One of Cory’s maternal great-grandfathers, Stephen Henry Brown, was white. Cory was raised in Harrington Park, New Jersey.
In his book, United: Thoughts on Finding Common Ground and Advancing the Common Good , 2017, page 12, Corey wrote :
I am descended from slaves and slave owners. I have Native American blood and am also the great-great-great grandson of a white man who fought in the Creek War of 1836, in which Native Americans were forcibly removed from their land. I am the great-great-grandson of many slaves, and I am also the great-great-grandson of a corporal who fought in the Confederate Army and was captured by Union troops.
I am descended from slaves and slave owners. I have Native American blood and am also the great-great-great grandson of a white man who fought in the Creek War of 1836, in which Native Americans were forcibly removed from their land. I am the great-great-grandson of many slaves, and I am also the great-great-grandson of a corporal who fought in the Confederate Army and was captured by Union troops.
Cory is married to real estate businessperson Alexis Lewis.
Cory’s paternal grandfather was Wathia Clarence “W. C.” Allen (the son of Charlie A. Allen and Elizabeth Leonard). W. C. was born in North Carolina.
Cory’s paternal grandmother was Jessie/Jesse Lucille Booker (the daughter of Franklin “Frank” Booker and Mary Willie). Jesse was born in Stanford, Kentucky. Franklin was born in Campobello, South Carolina, the son of Harrison Booker. Mary was born in Stanford, the daughter of Albert Christopher.
Cory’s maternal grandfather was Limuary Alja Jordan (the son of Stephen Henry Brown and Alzinia/Alzenia Collins). Limuary was born in Columbia, Louisiana. Stephen was born in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana, and was a doctor, who was the son of Fielding Brown and Eliza Jane Hair. Alzinia was born in Grayson, Louisiana, the daughter of Winsor G. Collins and Mary Belle Smith.
Cory’s maternal grandmother was named Adeline Nadine Wilson (the daughter of Joseph N./M. Wilson and Rosa E.). Adeline was born in Des Moines, Iowa. Joseph was the son of Byrd Wilson, Jr. and Roberta Scott.
A DNA test whose results were displayed on the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2012) stated that Cory’s genetic ancestry is:
*47% African *45% European *7% Native American
*47% African *45% European *7% Native American
Part of his African DNA matches Sierra Leonean ancestry.
Genetically, he was found to have a common ancestor with drag queen, actor, model, and television personality RuPaul .
Sources: Genealogy of Cory Booker – http://www.geni.com
Obituary of Cory’s father – https://www.forevermissed.com
Cory’s paternal grandfather, Wathia Clarence Allen, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org