Avery Brooks Biography: Avery Franklin Brooks born October 2, 1948 is a retired American actor, director, singer, narrator, and educator. He is best known for his iconic television roles, including Captain Benjamin Sisko on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Hawk on Spenser: For Hire and its spinoff A Man Called Hawk, and Dr. Bob Sweeney in the Oscar-nominated film American History X.
Avery Brooks Biography
Avery Franklin Brooks was born on October 2, 1948, in Evansville, Indiana, into a family deeply rooted in music. His maternal grandfather, Samuel Travis Crawford, was a classically trained tenor who graduated from Tougaloo College in Mississippi in 1901 and later toured with the renowned Delta Rhythm Boys during the 1930s.
Avery Brooks Biography 2025 Details
| Born |
Avery Franklin Brooks
October 2, 1948 Evansville, Indiana, U.S.
|
|---|---|
| Education | Indiana University, Bloomington Oberlin College Rutgers University, New Brunswick (BA, MFA) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1982–2011 |
| Spouse |
Vicki Bowen
(m. 1976) |
| Children | 3 |
| Category | Singers Bio |
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Avery Brooks Personal Life
Brooks himself is musically gifted—he plays jazz piano and has brought his powerful voice and presence to the stage in numerous roles. Notably, he portrayed the legendary baritone, actor, and scholar Paul Robeson in the acclaimed stage production Paul Robeson. He also performed the lead role in A. Anthony Davis’s opera X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, and took on dual roles as Theseus and Oberon in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.
About Avery Brooks
Avery Franklin Brooks is a retired American actor, director, singer, narrator and educator. He is best known for his television roles as Captain Benjamin Sisko on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, as Hawk on.
Avery Brooks Achievements
Throughout his career, Brooks has received widespread critical acclaim for his work. He has been nominated for a Saturn Award and three NAACP Image Awards. In recognition of his contributions to the arts, he has been inducted into the College of Fellows of the American Theatre and awarded the William Shakespeare Award for Classical Theatre by the Shakespeare Theatre Company.
Avery Brooks Wiki
- Born: 2 October 1948 (age 76 years), Evansville, Indiana, United States
- Spouse: Vicki Lenora Brooks (m. 1976)
- Children: Ayana Brooks, Cabral Brooks, Asante Brooks
- Parents: Samuel Brooks, Eva Lydia Crawford
- Height: 1.85 m
- Education: Indiana University, Bloomington; Oberlin College; Rutgers University, New Brunswick (BA, MFA)
Early Life
Avery Brooks was born in Evansville, Indiana, to Eva Lydia (née Crawford), a choral conductor and music teacher, and Samuel Brooks, a union official and tool and die worker. His maternal grandfather, Samuel Travis Crawford, was a singer and a graduate of Tougaloo College in 1901. When Brooks was eight, his family relocated to Gary, Indiana, after his father lost his job at International Harvester. Reflecting on his upbringing, Brooks once said, “I was born in Evansville… but it was Gary, Indiana, that made me.”
Music played a central role in the Brooks household. His mother, one of the first African-American women to earn a master’s degree in music from Northwestern University, taught music wherever the family lived. His father sang with the Wings Over Jordan Choir, a well-known a cappella group that performed spirituals on CBS radio from 1937 to 1947.
Avery Brooks Facts
Where does Avery Brooks live? And how much money does Avery Brooks earn?
| Birth Date | 2-10-1948 |
| Heritage/origin | American |
| Ethnicity | Afro-American |
| Religion – believes in God? | Non-religious |
| Residence | He owns a house in Princeton, New Jersey. |
Avery Brooks Net Worth 2025
Avery Brooks is an American actor, director, singer, and educator. He is best known for his performance on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and Spenser: For Hire.
| Estimated Net Worth | 60 million Dollar |
| Yearly Salary | N/A |
| Colleagues | Nana Visitor, Cirroc Lofton & Terry Farrell |
Avery Brooks: Wife, Dating, Family & Friends
Avery Brooks is married to Vicki Lenora Brooks, an assistant dean at Rutgers University since 1976. The couple is blessed with three children.
| Relationship status | Married |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Current Wife of Avery Brooks | Vicki Lenora |
| Ex-girlfriends or ex-wives | |
| Has any kids? | Yes, father of: Asante, Ayana & Cabral |
Family
Names of father, mother, kids, brothers & sisters:
- Samuel Brooks (Father)
- Eva Lydia Crawford (Mother)
- Asante Brooks (Daughter)
- Ayana Brooks (Daughter)
- Cabral Brooks (Son)
Height, Weight, Body Measurements, Tattoos, Skin, Hair & Eye Color
This nice actor, musician & director originating from Evansville, Indiana, U.S. has a slim body & oval face type.
| Hair color | Brown/Black |
| Hairstyle | alternative |
| Beard or Mustache | Circle Beard |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Height | 185 cm |
| Weight | 70 kilo |
| Feet size | N/A |
| Does Avery Brooks smoke? | No, never |
| Does Avery Brooks have a tattoo? | No |
FAQs
What musical roles has Avery Brooks performed on stage?
Avery Brooks has showcased his musical talents in several major stage productions. He played the title role in the opera X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X and portrayed both Theseus and Oberon in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C.
Did Avery Brooks play Paul Robeson?
Yes, Avery Brooks portrayed the legendary baritone and activist Paul Robeson in the stage production Paul Robeson, bringing both his vocal and acting talents to the role.
What instruments does Avery Brooks play?
Avery Brooks is an accomplished jazz pianist, highlighting his deep musical background alongside his acting and directing work.
What was Avery Brooks’s connection to the National Black Arts Festival?
Throughout the 1990s, Avery Brooks served as the Artistic Director of the National Black Arts Festival (NBAF) in Atlanta, where he played a key role in promoting Black cultural expression through the arts.
Was Avery Brooks the first Black MFA graduate from Rutgers?
Yes, Avery Brooks made history by becoming the first African American to earn a Master of Fine Arts in acting and directing from Rutgers University.