Viola Davis Refutes Story That She Purchased Plantation Home Where She Was Born

BYErika Marie4.0K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Alberto E. Rodriguez / Staff / Getty Images
Viola Davis, Plantation, South Carolina, Birthday
The actress came forward to clarify her IG post after reports surface that she'd bought the home as a birthday gift for herself.

A celebratory birthday post for herself has caused Viola Davis to clarify a few of her words. A story ran rampant yesterday (August 11) that the How to Get Away With Murder actress purchased the house she was birthed in. The run-down home is seated on a former plantation in South Carolina. "The above is the house where I was born August 11, 1965. It is the birthplace of my story. Today on my 55th year of life....I own it....all of it," the actress wrote. "May you live long enough to know why you were born. -Cherokee Birth Blessing."

John Phillips / Stringer / Getty Images

Soon, outlets spun tales of how Viola was able to come full circle and purchase the plantation, but she's stepped forward to clarify that those reports aren't true. "Uhh....contrary to websites....I do not 'own' above house, I 'own' my STORY!! Too abstract I guess," she wrote. Years ago, Viola shared with PEOPLE that her grandfather was a sharecropper on the plantation and her family lived there.

“I went back to visit briefly, but still not aware of the history," said Viola back in 2016. "I think I read one slave narrative of someone who was on that plantation, which was horrific. One hundred and sixty acres of land and my grandfather was a sharecropper. Most of my uncles and cousins, they’re farmers. That’s the choice that they had. And my grandmother’s house was a one-room shack. I have a picture of it on my phone because I think it’s a beautiful picture." Check out her post below.

[via]


About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.
...