Janet Smollett is best known as the mother of Jussie Smollett. He became a big TV star after playing Jamal Lyon in Empire. But Janet’s own story began many years before her son became famous.
Janet raised six children with her husband, Joel Smollett. Their home was full of food, music, acting, and family time. Janet also taught her kids to care about other people and stand up for what they felt was right.
Her children later found work in TV, movies, food, and tech. But their story started at home. In this article, we will look at Janet Smollett’s early life, her husband, her six children, and how she helped them follow their dreams.
Who Is Janet Smollett?
Janet Smollett is the mother of Jussie, Jurnee, Jake, JoJo, Jazz, and Jocqui Smollett. Many people know her because several of her children became TV and movie stars. Yet Janet has always kept a much quieter life.
Her birth name is often given as Janet Harris. Reports say she was born on November 27, 1952, in New Orleans, Louisiana. This means she is in her 70s today. Janet has kept many parts of her own life out of the public eye.
Janet did not chase Hollywood fame for herself. She spent much of her time raising her large family. Her children have often talked about the big part she played in their lives.
Janet Smollett’s Early Life
Janet Smollett has roots in New Orleans. The city is well known for its food, music, and strong family life. These things later became a big part of the home Janet made for her own kids.
Very little is known about Janet’s parents or her school years. She has not shared many facts about that part of her life. It is better not to guess when the facts are not clear.
What we do know is that Janet cared about fair treatment from a young age. She wanted people to have the same rights. This belief later became a big part of the way she raised her children.
Janet Smollett profile summary and bio
| Full Name | Janet Faye Harris Smollett |
| Known As | Janet Smollett |
| Birthday | November 27, 1952 |
| Age | 73 (as of Sept. 2026) |
| Birthplace | New Orleans, Louisiana, USA |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Husband | Joel Smollett (died 2015) |
| Children | JoJo, Jazz, Jussie, Jurnee, Jake, Jocqui |
| Children Count | 6 |
| Profession | Civil rights activist, homemaker |
| Hobby | Cooking |
| Known For | Mother of Jussie Smollett |
| Net Worth | Reported $250,000 (not confirmed) |
| Current Life | Mostly private |
Janet Smollett and Her Civil Rights Work
When Janet was young, she took part in work for civil rights. At that time, many Black people in America were fighting for fair laws and equal treatment. Janet wanted to help with that work.
Jussie has said that his mother knew people linked to the fight for civil rights. He has named Bobby Seale and Huey Newton when talking about her younger years. He has also said Julian Bond helped guide her and that Angela Davis became a close friend.
This part of Janet Smollett’s life tells us a lot about her. She cared about more than her own home. She wanted her children to learn why it was good to help others too.
Those lessons stayed in the family. As the Smollett children grew older, some of them spoke about causes they cared about. Janet had taught them from a young age that their voice could matter.
How Janet Smollett Met Joel Smollett
Janet Smollett met Joel Smollett while they were both doing civil rights work. Reports say they met in the Bay Area in California. Their wish to help people gave them something in common from the start.
Joel came from a Jewish family. His family had roots in Russia and Poland. Janet and Joel came from two different family stories, but they built one home together.
The exact date of their wedding is not well known. What is clear is that they later had six children. They worked hard to give those children love, care, and a good start in life.
Their home also had a mix of family customs. The children grew up around both Black and Jewish roots. Food, family days, and time together helped keep those roots alive.
Janet Smollett’s Marriage and Family Life
Janet and Joel Smollett had a busy home. They were raising six children, and the family moved many times while the kids were young. Some family stories say they moved about 13 times.
Moving that often can be hard for a child. Think about having a new room, a new town, and a new school again and again. Janet tried to make each new house feel warm and safe.
She did this in simple ways. She cooked for the family. She made things for the home. She also made sure the children had time to sing, play, read, and put on little shows.
The family did not always have a lot of money. Janet is said to have made beds, cribs, couches, and toy boxes herself. She even made a wooden slide for the children.
Joel Smollett later became ill with cancer. He died in January 2015. His death was a very sad loss for Janet and their six children.
Janet Smollett’s Children
Janet Smollett and Joel had six children. They are JoJo, Jazz, Jussie, Jurnee, Jake, and Jocqui. Each child grew up to follow a different path.
JoJo Smollett worked as an actor and producer. Jazz Smollett also worked in TV and took part in food and home shows. Jussie Smollett became an actor and singer and gained wide fame through Empire.
Jurnee Smollett started acting as a child. She later became known for many movie and TV roles. Jake Smollett worked as an actor too, but he also built a name in food and cooking.
Jocqui Smollett is the youngest of the six. He acted when he was a child but later moved into tech and business work. So, not every Smollett child stayed in acting.
One fun fact makes this family stand out. All six children once acted together in the ABC show On Our Own. The show aired in the 1994–1995 TV season.
How Janet Smollett Helped Her Children
Janet Smollett did not wait for Hollywood to teach her children how to act. She made acting, singing, and play a normal part of life at home. Her kids often had to get up and sing at birthdays and family days.
The children also put on little shows for each other. What may sound like simple family fun helped them feel at ease in front of people. It gave them a chance to try new things without fear.
Janet also showed her children old movies. Jussie and Jurnee have said their mother was a very important acting teacher for them. She helped them watch, learn, and think about what made a good act.
Most of all, Janet made her children feel that their ideas mattered. She gave them room to sing, act, cook, read, and learn. Long before TV sets and red carpets came into their lives, that work had already started at home.
Janet Smollett and the Family’s TV Story
Janet Smollett helped make acting feel normal at home. This later helped her children when they started working on TV. Jurnee began acting when she was very young, and some of her brothers and sisters also found work in TV and film.
A big family moment came in 1994. All six Smollett children appeared together in the ABC show On Our Own. The show ran for one season during 1994 and 1995.
For a family with six children, this was a huge step. Imagine getting ready for school, home life, and a TV set at the same time. Janet stayed close and helped her children through it.
The show did not run for many years, but it became an important part of the Smollett family story. It also showed that the children had learned how to work together from a young age.
Janet Smollett’s Famous Family Table
One of the best stories about Janet Smollett is the long wooden table she made for the family. The Smolletts moved many times, but Janet wanted each new home to feel warm.
So, she made a large table for the family. Reports say it could take her a few days to finish it. The table was made from strong pieces of wood.
It was more than a place to eat. The family sat there to talk, laugh, sing, and share news. They also marked birthdays and other big family days around it.
Think about a large family sitting around one table after a long day. That simple picture tells us a lot about Janet. She wanted her children to stay close, even when life changed around them.
The table later became a strong part of the family’s story. It stood for food, love, and time together.
Janet Smollett’s Love for Cooking
Cooking was another big part of Janet Smollett’s life. She had six children, so making food for the family was a daily job. But food also became a way to bring everyone together.
Janet had roots in New Orleans, a city known for rich food and strong food customs. That background helped shape some of the meals she made at home.
The Smollett family used food to mark birthdays, holidays, and other happy days. A meal was not just about eating. It was also a time to sit down, talk, and enjoy being together.
Jake Smollett later became known for cooking too. His love for food grew in a home where meals were a big part of family life.
This is why cooking is an important part of Janet’s story. It shows another way she helped keep her large family close.
Janet Smollett and The Family Table
In 2018, Jazz, Jake, Jurnee, and Jussie released a cookbook called The Family Table: Recipes & Moments from a Nomadic Life. The book shares food and stories from their family years.
Janet was not one of the four named writers of the book. Still, her part in the story is easy to see. Many of the meals and family moments came from the home she helped build.
The book also talks about the long wooden table. That table had followed the family story for years and had become a place for meals, talks, and family events.
The book shares more than recipes. It also tells readers how the family stayed close while moving from place to place.
That is what makes the book useful when learning about Janet Smollett. It gives a look at the kind of home she wanted her children to have.
Janet Smollett and Jussie Smollett
Jussie Smollett became one of the best-known members of the family. He gained wide fame after playing Jamal Lyon on the Fox show Empire.
Janet stayed interested in his work. Jussie once shared that his mother would call him after Empire aired. She would talk about the story, the songs, and the people on the show.
That small story is a nice look at their bond. Even after her son became famous, Janet still acted like a proud mother who wanted to know what he was doing.
Jussie later became part of a major legal case after an event in Chicago in 2019. He was found guilty in 2021 on charges linked to false reports.
In November 2024, the Illinois Supreme Court threw out those convictions. The court said the way the case was brought back after an earlier deal was not proper. The court did not decide whether Jussie’s story about the attack was true or false.
The case brought a lot of public attention to the whole family. Still, Janet’s life should not be told only through Jussie’s legal story. She had a long life as a mother, cook, and civil rights worker before that case began.
Where Is Janet Smollett Today?
Janet Smollett keeps a quiet life today. She does not share every part of her day with the public, and there is not much clear news about her private life in 2026.
Older reports have linked her to California. But her exact home today is not clearly known, so it is better not to guess.
Janet was born on November 27, 1952. That means she is 73 years old in September 2026. She will turn 74 on November 27, 2026.
Some websites say Janet Smollett has a net worth of about $250,000. But there is no strong public proof for this number. Her real money details are private.
What is easier to see is the mark she left on her family. Her children still talk about the home, food, acting, and lessons they grew up with.
(FAQs)
How old is Janet Smollett and when is her birthday?
Janet Smollett was born on November 27, 1952. She is 73 years old in September 2026 and will turn 74 in November.
What is Janet Smollett’s net worth?
Some websites put Janet Smollett’s net worth near $250,000. However, this number is not confirmed, and her real money details are private.
Who was Janet Smollett’s husband?
Janet Smollett was married to Joel Smollett. They had six children together. Joel died in 2015 after dealing with cancer.
Who are Janet Smollett’s parents?
Janet has kept details about her parents and early family life private. Their names are not clearly known from trusted public sources.
Was Janet Smollett part of the Black Panther Party?
Janet was active in civil rights work when she was young. Jussie has said she worked around people such as Bobby Seale and Huey Newton, but clear proof that she was an official Black Panther Party member is limited.
Final Thoughts
Janet Smollett is often called Jussie Smollett’s mother, but her story is much bigger than that. She raised six children and helped build a home full of food, songs, acting, and family time.
She also cared about equal rights from a young age. She later passed many of those values to her children.
Janet made simple family moments feel important. A meal at the table, a song at a birthday, or a small show at home could become something the children remembered for years.
That may be the best way to understand Janet Smollett. She did not need to be the biggest star in the room. Her biggest work was helping her family grow, stay close, and find their own paths.
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