Profile Text
Wayans in 2014, photo by kathclick /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Kimberly Nichole Wayans
Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.
Date of Birth: October 16, 1961
Ethnicity: African-American
Kim Wayans is an American actress, comedian, writer, and film producer. Her roles include the shows A Different World , In Living Color , In the House , The Wayans Bros. , Waynehead , in voice performance; Reckless , New Girl , and The Breaks ; and the films Juwanna Mann , Dance Flick , Pariah (2011), and Ray Meets Helen . She has directed episodes of My Wife and Kids , which she also wrote for; and The Neighborhood .
Kim is the daughter of Elvira Alethia (Green), a social worker, and Howell Stouten Wayans, a supermarket manager. She is one of ten siblings, including entertainers Dwayne Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans , Damon Wayans , Shawn Wayans , and Marlon Wayans , all of whom she has collaborated with. She is the aunt of actors, comedians, and writers Craig Wayans, who is also a producer; Damien Dante Wayans, who is also a producer and director; Chaunté Wayans, and Damon Wayans, Jr. She was raised in Chelsea, Manhattan. Her household were Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Kim is married to Kevin Knotts.
Kim’s paternal grandfather was Paul Otto Wayans (the son of Stouton Wayans and Della Johnson). Paul was born in Connecticut. Stouton was the son of Peter Waynes/Wayans.
Kim’s paternal grandmother was Lillian Victoria Howell (the daughter of Isaiah Howell and Ethel J. Grant). Lillian was born in Florida. Isaiah was the son of Moses Howell and Anna Smith.
Kim’s maternal grandfather was Ivory Garrett Green (the son of Edward Powell Green and Mary Magdalene Brock). Ivory was born in South Carolina. Edward was the son of James Green and Dorcas Nelson. Mary Magdalene was the daughter of Marion Brock, who was born into slavery, and of Catherine Rhame.
Kim’s maternal grandmother was Elvira Brown (the daughter of Hooper Robert Brown and Emma J. Pleasant). Elvira was born in South Carolina. Hooper was the son of Alex Brown and Elvira. Emma was the daughter of Abraham Pleasant and Polly Coad.
A DNA test of Kim’s brother Keenen on the show Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (2016) indicated that Keenen has genetic ancestry from the Malagasy people, of Madagascar.
Sources: Genealogy of Kim Wayans (through Kim’s brother, Keenen Ivory Wayans) – http://www.pbs.org
Genealogy of Kim Wayans – http://www.geni.com
Kim’s maternal great-grandmother, Mary Magdalene Brock, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org