Background Information about his childhood James earl jones was born in arkabutla Mississippi, son of Robert Earl Jones(1910 2006),an actor, boxer, butler, and chauffeur who left the family shortly after James Earls birth, and his wife ruth(Connolly) Jones,a teacher and maid jones and his father reconciled many years later. Jones was raised by his maternal grandparents, farmers John henry and maggie Connolly. he is multiracial, with African, Irish, and native FAnYerican ancestorBackground Information About his childhood: • James Earl Jones was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, son of Robert Earl Jones (1910– 2006), an actor, boxer, butler, and chauffeur who left the family shortly after James Earl's birth, and his wife Ruth (Connolly) Jones, a teacher and maid. Jones and his father reconciled many years later. Jones was raised by his maternal grandparents, farmers John Henry and Maggie Connolly. He is multiracial, with African, Irish, and Native American ancestry