Profile Text
Wayans in 2009, photo by s_bukley /Bigstock.com
Birth Name: Shawn M. Wayans
Place of Birth: New York City, New York, U.S.
Date of Birth: January 19, 1971
Ethnicity: African-American
Shawn Wayans is an American actor, comedian, DJ, producer, and writer. He has starred in the films Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood , Scary Movie , Scary Movie 2 , White Chicks , Little Man , and Dance Flick , all of which he co-wrote; and on the shows In Living Color and The Wayans Bros. , which he co-created.
He is the son f Elvira Alethia (Green), a social worker, and Howell Stouten Wayans, a supermarket manager. He is one of ten siblings, including entertainers Dwayne Wayans, Keenen Ivory Wayans , Damon Wayans , Kim Wayans , and Marlon Wayans , all of whom he has collaborated with. Shawn has three children. He is the uncle 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. He was raised in Chelsea, Manhattan. His household were Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Shawn’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.
Shawn’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.
Shawn’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.
Shawn’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 Shawn’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 Shawn Wayans (through Shawn’s brother, Keenen Ivory Wayans) – http://www.pbs.org
Genealogy of Shawn Wayans – http://www.geni.com
Shawn’s maternal great-grandmother, Mary Magdalene Brock, on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://familysearch.org