Editing Janet Jackson (section)

=== 1966–1985: Early life and career beginnings ===
[[File:Jacksonstvshow.jpg|180px|thumb|left|upright|Jackson (''bottom row'') in a 1977 CBS photo on the set of ''[[The Jacksons (TV series)|The Jacksons]]'']]
Janet Damita Jo Jackson was born on May 16, 1966, in [[Gary, Indiana]].<ref name="JJ by Cornwell">{{harvnb|Cornwell|2002|pages=2, 10, 24}}</ref> She was the youngest of ten children in the [[Jackson family]], a working-class [[African Americans|African-American]] family living in a two-bedroom house on Jackson Street.{{sfn|Jackson|2009|p=26}} Her mother, [[Katherine Jackson|Katherine Esther Jackson]] (''née'' Scruse), played clarinet and piano, had aspired to be a [[Country music|country-and-western]] performer, and worked part-time at [[Sears]].{{sfn|Young|2009|pp=17, 19}} Her father, [[Joe Jackson (manager)|Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson]], a former boxer, was a crane operator at [[U.S. Steel]] and played guitar with a local [[rhythm and blues]] band, the Falcons, to supplement the family's income.<ref name="Obit Guardian">{{cite news |last=Sweeting |first=Adam |date=June 27, 2018 |title=Joe Jackson obituary |newspaper=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jun/27/joe-jackson-obituary |access-date=April 14, 2019 |archive-date=December 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208194246/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jun/27/joe-jackson-obituary |url-status=live }}</ref>{{sfn|Young|2009|pp=18–19}} Janet's great-great-grandfather, July "Jack" Gale, was a US Army [[Cavalry scout|scout]]. Family lore held that he was also a Native American [[medicine man]].{{sfn|Knopper|2016|p=6. Note: No tribal affiliation named in source}} Janet grew up with two sisters ([[Rebbie Jackson|Rebbie]] and [[La Toya Jackson|La Toya]]) and six brothers ([[Jackie Jackson|Jackie]], [[Tito Jackson|Tito]], [[Jermaine Jackson|Jermaine]], [[Marlon Jackson|Marlon]], [[Michael Jackson|Michael]] and [[Randy Jackson (The Jacksons)|Randy]]).<ref name="Obit Guardian" /> Another brother, Marlon's twin Brandon, died shortly after birth.<ref>{{cite web |last=Morris |first=Chris |date=June 27, 2018 |title=Joe Jackson, Jackson Family Patriarch, Dies at 89 |url=https://variety.com/2018/music/news/joe-jackson-dead-dies-89-1202859242/ |access-date=April 27, 2019 |magazine=Variety |archive-date=November 8, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221108051352/https://variety.com/2018/music/news/joe-jackson-dead-dies-89-1202859242/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The Jacksons were devout [[Jehovah's Witnesses]], although Janet would later refrain from organized religion.<ref>{{cite news|last=Norment|first=Lynn|title=Janet: On her sexuality, spirituality, failed marriages, and lessons learned|newspaper=[[Jet (magazine)|Jet]]|volume=57|issue=1|page=104|date=November 2001|issn=0012-9011}}</ref>

At a young age, Jackson's brothers began performing as [[the Jackson 5]] in the Chicago-Gary area.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thejacksons.com/history/the-jacksons-5-60-68/|title=History 60-68 {{!}} The Jacksons {{!}} The Official Website|access-date=October 7, 2022|archive-date=September 20, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190920143141/https://www.thejacksons.com/history/the-jacksons-5-60-68/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In March 1969, they signed a record deal with [[Motown]], and soon had their [[I Want You Back|first number-one hit]]. The family then moved to the [[Encino, Los Angeles|Encino]] neighborhood of Los Angeles.<ref name="JJ by Cornwell" /> Jackson had initially desired to become a horse racing jockey or entertainment lawyer, with plans to support herself through acting. Despite this, she was anticipated to pursue a career in entertainment and considered the idea after recording herself in the studio.<ref name="JJ by Cornwell" />

At age seven, Jackson and her sisters [[The Jackson 5 World Tour|performed]] at the MGM Casino on the [[Las Vegas Strip]].<ref name="JJ by Cornwell" /> A biography revealed her father, Joseph, was emotionally withdrawn and told her to address him solely by his first name as a child.<ref name="JJ by Cornwell" /> She began acting in the variety show ''[[The Jacksons (TV series)|The Jacksons]]'' in 1976.<ref name="JJ by Cornwell" />

In 1977, she was selected to have a starring role as [[Good Times|Penny Gordon Woods]] in the sitcom ''Good Times''.<ref name="JJ by Cornwell" /> She later starred in ''[[A New Kind of Family]]'' and later got a recurring role on ''[[Diff'rent Strokes]]'', portraying Charlene Duprey from seasons three to six.<ref name="JJ by Cornwell" /> Jackson also played the role of Cleo Hewitt during the fourth season of ''[[Fame (1982 TV series)|Fame]]'', but expressed indifference towards the series, largely due to the emotional stress of her secret marriage to R&B singer [[James DeBarge]]. Jackson later elaborated on her time on the show in an interview with [[Anderson Cooper]], revealing that the cast would occasionally play pranks on her, but she spoke fondly of them.<ref>{{Cite web | last = Fox | first = Norman | title = Indian Summer | work = [[TV.com]] | publisher = [[CBS Interactive]] | url = http://www.tv.com/fame/indian-summer/episode/77620/summary.html | access-date = September 3, 2010 | archive-date = November 8, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121108042131/http://www.tv.com/fame/indian-summer/episode/77620/summary.html | url-status = dead }}</ref><ref name="Saunders">{{Cite news|last= Saunders |first= Michael | title=The 3 Divas Janet Jackson turns her focus inward | newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] | page=D13 | date=October 3, 1996}}</ref>

When Jackson was fifteen, her father and manager Joseph Jackson arranged a contract for her with [[A&M Records]].<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Pro Equipment & Services|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|volume=94|issue=19|page=47|date=May 15, 1982}}</ref> Her debut album, ''[[Janet Jackson (album)|Janet Jackson]]'', was released in 1982. It was produced by [[Angela Winbush]], [[René Moore]], Bobby Watson of [[Rufus (band)|Rufus]] and [[Leon Sylvers III]], and overseen by her father Joseph.<ref name="JJ by Cornwell" /> It peaked at No. 63 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]], and No. 6 on the publication's R&B albums chart, receiving little promotion.<ref name="allmusicprofile">{{Cite web | title = Janet Jackson | work = [[AllMusic]] | url = https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p4572 | access-date = July 21, 2010 | archive-date = February 17, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110217221037/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/p4572 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref name="Billboard Album peaks">{{cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/janet-jackson/chart-history/billboard-200 | title=Janet Jackson – Chart History: ''Billboard'' 200 | magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] | access-date=October 29, 2012 | archive-date=November 21, 2021 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211121090821/https://www.billboard.com/artist/janet-jackson/chart-history/billboard-200/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="US-R&B-albums">{{cite magazine | url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=Janet Jackson|chart=R&B/Hip-Hop Albums B}} | title=Janet Jackson – Chart History: R&B/Hip-Hop Albums | magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=October 29, 2012}}</ref> The album appeared on the ''Billboard'' Top Black Albums of 1983, while Jackson herself was the highest-ranking female vocalist on the ''Billboard'' Year-End Black Album Artists.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1983/BB-1983-12-24.pdf|title=A ''Billboard'' Spotlight: ''Billboard'' Talent Almanac — 1984 Year-End Charts|magazine=Billboard|pages=TA–14, TA–15, TA–20, TA–23|issue=Special Double|date=December 24, 1983|publisher=Billboard Publication|access-date=October 29, 2012}}</ref>

Jackson's second album, ''[[Dream Street (Janet Jackson album)|Dream Street]]'', was released two years later.<ref name="JJ by Cornwell" /> ''Dream Street'' reached No. 147 on the ''Billboard'' 200, and No. 19 on the R&B albums chart.<ref name="Billboard Album peaks" /><ref name="US-R&B-albums" /> The lead single "[[Don't Stand Another Chance]]" peaked at No. 9 on ''Billboard''{{'}}s R&B singles chart.<ref name="US-R&B-singles">{{cite magazine | url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=Janet Jackson|chart=R&B/Hip-Hop Songs}} | title=Janet Jackson – Chart History: R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]| access-date=April 8, 2012}}</ref> Both albums consisted primarily of [[bubblegum pop]] music.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/r10041|title=Dream Street – Janet Jackson|work=AllMusic|access-date=July 21, 2010|archive-date=March 1, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230301093425/https://www.allmusic.com/album/dream-street-mw0000190415|url-status=live}}</ref>