Brandon David Jackson was the twin brother of Marlon Jackson, a member of the legendary Jackson 5, and the son of Joseph and Katherine Jackson. Born prematurely in Gary, Indiana, on March 12, 1957, Brandon died just hours after birth. Although he never experienced the international fame his family later achieved, his story remains an important part of Jackson family history. His memory received renewed public attention when Marlon mentioned him during Michael Jackson’s memorial service in 2009.
Brandon David Jackson was the twin brother of Jackson 5 singer Marlon Jackson. Both were born prematurely on March 12, 1957, in Gary, Indiana. Brandon died shortly after birth, reportedly at eight hours old. His parents were Joseph and Katherine Jackson, making him a brother of Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson.
Family Profile
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Brandon David Jackson |
| Known For | Marlon Jackson’s twin brother |
| Date of Birth | March 12, 1957 |
| Date of Death | March 12, 1957 |
| Age at Death | Approximately eight hours, according to Katherine Jackson’s memoir |
| Birthplace | Gary, Indiana, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Father | Joseph Walter “Joe” Jackson |
| Mother | Katherine Esther Jackson |
| Twin Brother | Marlon David Jackson |
| Other Siblings | Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Michael, Randy, and Janet Jackson |
| Reported Burial Place | Fern Oaks Cemetery, Griffith, Indiana |
| Family Background | Member of the Jackson musical family |
Who Was Brandon David Jackson?
Brandon David Jackson was one of the ten children born to Joseph and Katherine Jackson. His family eventually became internationally famous through the Jackson 5 and the individual careers of Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson, and other siblings. However, Brandon’s life ended long before his brothers began their professional recording careers.
His identity is established through family accounts and reputable biographies of the Jacksons. A People magazine profile of Katherine Jackson, published in April 2026, identifies Brandon David and Marlon David as twins born two months prematurely on March 12, 1957.
Brandon is sometimes overlooked in shorter accounts of the family’s history because he died as a newborn. Nevertheless, he was one of Joe and Katherine’s ten children, and his relationship to Marlon is documented independently of later internet biographies.
Unlike his siblings, Brandon never attended school, developed a professional career, married, or had children. The available biographical account centers on his birth, his brief life, and the ways his relatives remembered him.
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Brandon David Jackson’s Birth and Early Death
Born Prematurely in Gary, Indiana
Brandon and Marlon were born on March 12, 1957, when their mother, Katherine Jackson, went into labor approximately two months before her expected delivery date. The twins arrived during the family’s early years in Gary, Indiana, before the Jackson name became internationally recognized.
Katherine later described the experience in her autobiography, My Family, The Jacksons, published in 1990. According to her recollection, she had not known she was expecting twins. Marlon was delivered first, and medical staff subsequently discovered that a second baby was about to arrive.
As summarized in a published account of Katherine Jackson’s memoir, Marlon weighed approximately four pounds and five ounces at birth. Brandon followed, but his condition was serious. Katherine remembered hearing her second son’s faint cry before learning that he had died.
Her account provides a personal perspective on the family’s loss. It also establishes that Brandon was born alive, an important distinction because some online summaries incorrectly describe him as stillborn.
How Old Was Brandon When He Died?
Katherine’s memoir states that Brandon died approximately eight hours after his birth. Other reputable biographical accounts generally describe his death as occurring shortly after he was born, without specifying the number of hours.
Both accounts are consistent with his having lived for only part of March 12, 1957. He never reached his first birthday, and genealogical entries record the same date for his birth and death.
What Was Brandon David Jackson’s Cause of Death?
Brandon’s death followed an extremely premature birth. His mother delivered the twins approximately two months early, and Brandon survived only a few hours.
However, the available reputable sources do not establish a specific medical cause of death from an authenticated death certificate or hospital record. Prematurity is a documented circumstance of his birth, but it should not automatically be presented as a complete medical diagnosis.
Some online biographies attribute his death to respiratory failure or other complications. Such claims require greater caution because they are not consistently supported by accessible primary medical documentation.
The most accurate account is that Brandon was born prematurely and died approximately eight hours later, according to his mother’s recollections. His precise medical cause of death remains insufficiently documented in the publicly accessible sources reviewed.
Brandon’s Parents and Famous Jackson Siblings
Brandon was born into the family of Joseph Walter Jackson and Katherine Esther Jackson. Joseph worked in the steel industry and had musical interests of his own, while Katherine supported her children’s developing talents.
The couple married in 1949 and raised their growing family in Gary. Their children included Rebbie, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, La Toya, Marlon, Brandon, Michael, Randy, and Janet.
At the time of Brandon’s birth, the older Jackson children were still young. Michael was born the following year, on August 29, 1958, while Randy and Janet arrived later.
The family’s rise to fame occurred after Brandon’s death. Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Michael eventually formed the celebrated Jackson 5, a group that helped redefine American popular music during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
According to the Motown Museum’s official Jackson 5 history, the group signed with Motown in 1968 and became major stars with recordings including “I Want You Back,” “ABC,” “The Love You Save,” and “I’ll Be There.”
Their achievements later earned the group induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1997.
Brandon was not involved in any of these achievements, but he belonged to the same family whose musical accomplishments became an important part of American entertainment history.
Brandon David Jackson and His Twin Brother Marlon
Marlon David Jackson survived their premature delivery and grew up to become one of the five original members of the Jackson 5. He developed a successful performing career alongside his brothers and later pursued solo music and other business interests.
The twin relationship is especially significant because Marlon’s public remarks demonstrate that Brandon remained part of his understanding of the family, despite their having spent only a few hours together.
Marlon also shared a close childhood relationship with his younger brother Michael. They performed together, spent much of their youth around the family’s musical activities, and developed a bond that continued into adulthood.
Michael was born approximately seventeen months after the twins. Although some biographies describe him as a substitute for the brother Marlon lost, that description should not be interpreted as diminishing Brandon’s individual place in the family.
Both relationships mattered in different ways. Michael became Marlon’s childhood companion and professional collaborator, while Brandon remained his deceased twin brother.
How Marlon Jackson Remembered Brandon in 2009
One of the strongest public confirmations of Brandon’s identity came during Michael Jackson’s memorial service on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Michael had died on June 25, 2009, at age 50. During the televised memorial, Marlon delivered a personal tribute recalling their childhood, their experiences performing together, and his love for his younger brother.
Near the end of his remarks, Marlon addressed Michael and requested that he embrace their deceased brother Brandon on his behalf.
The CNN transcript of Michael Jackson’s memorial records Marlon’s words:
“I would like for you to give our brother, my twin brother, Brandon, a hug for me.”
That short statement became one of the clearest public acknowledgments of Brandon’s continuing importance to the family.
Marlon’s tribute brought together two separate losses: the death of his twin brother in infancy and the death of Michael more than five decades later. The remark was particularly meaningful because it came directly from Brandon’s surviving twin.
It also gave many viewers their first introduction to a Jackson family member whose name was rarely discussed in mainstream entertainment coverage.
Brandon David Jackson’s Funeral and Grave
Katherine Jackson’s autobiography also discusses the circumstances surrounding Brandon’s funeral. According to her recollection, she remained hospitalized following the premature delivery and was unable to attend the service.
This account establishes that a funeral took place, although detailed contemporary records describing the ceremony are not readily available in mainstream reporting.
An online FamilySearch genealogical profile identifies Fern Oaks Cemetery in Griffith, Indiana, as Brandon’s burial place. The listing records his birth and death on March 12, 1957.
Because online family-tree profiles can contain contributed information, this burial location is best described as a reported genealogical record rather than an independently authenticated cemetery confirmation.
These distinctions matter when discussing the funeral or grave of someone who died in infancy. They allow the available family recollections and documentary references to be presented without inventing details about the service, headstone, or burial arrangements.
Understanding Brandon’s Place in Jackson Family History
Brandon’s story is different from those of his famous siblings because there is no professional life or adult biography to document. The meaningful evidence concerns his identity, premature birth, death, and remembrance by his relatives.
His name appears in family histories and genealogical material, while Marlon’s 2009 memorial remarks provide direct evidence that he continued to recognize Brandon as his twin brother.
It is also important to distinguish Brandon from unrelated individuals with similar names. He was not a performer, actor, or musician, and there is no basis for attributing professional accomplishments to him.
His place in the Jackson family history rests instead on the documented family relationships and recollections that survived him.
Conclusion
Brandon David Jackson was Marlon Jackson’s twin brother and one of the ten children of Joseph and Katherine Jackson. Born prematurely on March 12, 1957, he died approximately eight hours later, according to his mother’s memoir.
Although his life was brief, Brandon remained part of the family’s history. Marlon’s reference to him during Michael Jackson’s 2009 memorial offered a rare public expression of that connection and ensured that his twin brother’s name would be remembered alongside the Jackson family story.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How did Brandon David Jackson die?
Brandon David Jackson died shortly after his premature birth on March 12, 1957. His mother’s memoir states that he survived for approximately eight hours. Although prematurity is documented, a specific medical cause of death has not been established through accessible authoritative medical records.
2. How old was Brandon David Jackson when he died?
Brandon was approximately eight hours old when he died, according to Katherine Jackson’s autobiography. He was born and died on March 12, 1957, in Gary, Indiana.
3. Was Brandon David Jackson Marlon Jackson’s real twin brother?
Yes. Brandon and Marlon David Jackson were biological twin brothers born to Joseph and Katherine Jackson on March 12, 1957. Marlon publicly acknowledged Brandon as his twin during Michael Jackson’s memorial service in July 2009.
4. Where was Brandon David Jackson buried?
A FamilySearch genealogical entry lists Brandon’s burial at Fern Oaks Cemetery in Griffith, Indiana. However, the available listing should not be confused with independent confirmation from an official cemetery register.
5. Did Brandon David Jackson have a funeral?
Yes. In her memoir, Katherine Jackson recalled that Brandon had a funeral but that she could not attend because she was still hospitalized after giving birth prematurely. Detailed independently verified accounts of the ceremony are limited.
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