Raven-Symoné Ethnicity, Race & Heritage: Is She Mixed Race? Full Background Explained

Quick answer: Raven-Symoné is African American. Her parents, Christopher Pearman and Lydia Gaulden, are both Black, with family roots in Georgia and Louisiana.

---

What Is Raven-Symoné's Ethnicity?

Raven-Symoné is African American. Both her parents, Christopher Pearman and Lydia Gaulden, are Black, with family roots spanning Georgia and Louisiana. Her ancestry traces through documented African American lineages in the American South. Raven-Symoné made headlines in 2014 when she told Oprah Winfrey that she did not want to be labelled solely by her ethnicity, stating she was "American" — a comment widely misreported as her denying her Black identity. In context, she was making a statement about not reducing herself to a single label, while clearly acknowledging her African American background.

---

Father's Side: African American Heritage from Georgia

Raven's father, Christopher B. Pearman, is African American and from Atlanta, Georgia. Genealogical records show his family through the Pearman line in the American South. His grandfather was Oscar Cicero Pearman, Sr., and his grandmother was Vera Clyde Jones.

Paternal grandfather: Oscar Cicero Pearman, Sr. — African American, Georgia. Paternal grandmother: Vera Clyde Jones — African American, Southern roots.

---

Mother's Side: African American Heritage from Louisiana

Raven's mother, Lydia Gaulden, is African American and from Louisiana. Her family's Gaulden line can be traced through the American South as well. Lydia's father was Julius Herbert Gaulden, the son of James Andra "Jim" Gaulden and Johnnie Lee Simpkins.

Maternal grandfather: Julius Herbert Gaulden — African American, Louisiana; son of James Andra Gaulden and Johnnie Lee Simpkins. Maternal grandmother: [Unknown Gaulden] — African American, Louisiana.

---

Grandparents: A Complete Picture

• Paternal grandfather: Oscar Cicero Pearman, Sr. — African American, Georgia.
• Paternal grandmother: Vera Clyde Jones — African American, American South.
• Maternal grandfather: Julius Herbert Gaulden — African American, Louisiana; son of James Andra Gaulden and Johnnie Lee Simpkins.
• Maternal grandmother: [Unknown Gaulden] — African American, Louisiana.

---

Spouse & Family

Raven-Symoné married Miranda Maday in June 2020. Miranda is of white American background. They have no children together. Raven-Symoné was previously in a relationship with AzMarie Livingston (2012–2015).

---

Raven-Symoné in Her Own Words

"I am an American. I have no connection to any other place really. I don't label myself." — Raven-Symoné, The Oprah Winfrey Show, October 2014

This statement was widely misinterpreted, but Raven-Symoné has also consistently acknowledged her African American identity in other contexts. She grew up in Atlanta and then Ossining, New York, shaped by Black American culture and family. The Oprah interview was about her resistance to being reduced to labels — not a denial of her Black heritage.

▶ Watch on YouTube →

---

Is Raven-Symoné Alive?

Yes. Raven-Symoné is alive as of 2026, aged 40. She remains active in entertainment as a co-host of The View and continues her acting and music career.

---

Visual Family Tree