Chavis Family Genealogy & History

Lonnie Chavis Jr., born November 23, 2007, in Downey, California, is an acclaimed American teenage actor best known for playing young Randall Pearson on NBC's hit drama, This Is Us. Chavis has garnered attention for his roles in Showtime's White Famous and the feature film The Water Man, alongside renowned actors like David Oyelowo and Rosario Dawson. His work in Disney's Magic Camp and the Oscar-winning short film Skin highlights his versatile acting skills. Chavis’s activism also shines through his social media efforts to combat bullying, notably with his impactful #FixYourHeart campaign.

Lonnie Chavis is the son of Najah and Lonnie Chavis, and he has three younger brothers. His early life in California was marked by a harrowing incident in 2016 when he narrowly escaped an attempted abduction. Despite this, Chavis has thrived in both his personal and professional life, partly thanks to the supportive environment provided by his family.

Benjamin Franklin Chavis Jr., born on January 22, 1948, in Oxford, North Carolina, is a prominent African-American civil rights activist and leader. His career highlights include serving as the executive director and CEO of the NAACP, national director of the Million Man March, and co-founder of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network alongside Russell Simmons. Chavis is also the current president and CEO of the National Newspaper Publishers Association. His advocacy began early, inspired by Martin Luther King Jr., and he gained international attention as the leader of the Wilmington Ten, a group of civil rights activists wrongfully convicted of arson, whose convictions were later overturned due to prosecutorial misconduct.

Michael Scott Chavis, born on August 11, 1995, is an American professional baseball infielder currently in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization. Known for his right-handed batting and throwing, Chavis has played in MLB with the Boston Red Sox, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Washington Nationals. A first-round pick by the Red Sox in the 2014 MLB draft, Chavis showcased his power by becoming the first 30-homer player in Red Sox minors since 2011. He achieved the American League Rookie of the Month Award in May 2019 and is noted for his debut home run and walk-off achievements, making him a key figure in baseball circles.

Boozoo Chavis, born Wilson Anthony Chavis, was a pioneering American accordion player and singer, renowned for shaping the zydeco music genre—a fusion of Louisiana Creole and blues. His 1955 hit "Paper in My Shoe" became a zydeco standard, marking him as a significant figure in the genre's history. Despite feeling cheated by the music industry, Chavis's influence endured, with his music gaining recognition in the United States and Europe by the 1980s.

Born to Arthur and Marceline Chavis in a Creole settlement in Lake Charles, Louisiana, Boozoo was deeply influenced by his musically inclined family. His father, uncles, and cousins played accordion, and his great uncle, Sidney Babineaux, was a popular accordionist, nurturing a rich musical environment for young Chavis.