It was against the law for John Amos and Noel J. Mickelson to get married while they were interracial couples. After ten years of marriage, they had two kids together.
John Amos was a well-known actor with several acting credits throughout the course of his more than fifty-year career. Among his prominent roles are those in the sitcom “Good Times,” the drama series “Roots,” for which he received an Emmy Award for his portrayal of Kunta Kinte, and the film series “Coming to America.”
The celebrity led a secluded life despite being a regular fixture on the Hollywood scene. John was married twice, the first time to Noel J. Mickelson, with whom he had two children, albeit not much is known about his personal life.
Like his partnerships, the great actor kept his children out of the spotlight for most of their lives. Now that they are older, they have posted more family-related content on social media.
Losing the Mother of His Kids
Shannon and K.C. Amos, John’s only children, were raised by Noel. She was a well-known architect, environmentalist, horseback rider, and artist who had a great regard and affection for the natural world.
Shannon acknowledged that she and K.C. learned how to express themselves creatively from their late mother. Occasionally, her brother posts old pictures of their mother, whom they refer to as “Noni,” and the special times they had together.
He considered how their mother reared them in one of his 2023 Instagram posts. He disclosed that she insisted on them having dinner by 6:00 p.m.
In December 2016, John Amos’s first wife passed away in her family’s presence. She bemoaned in her final moments not being able to travel and see the world.
Shannon then promised to carry her ashes everywhere in order to grant her final wish, and she started doing so in January 2017. The fact that John and Noel’s marriage took place during a time when interracial couples were despised made it noteworthy.
A Forbidden Love
Shannon claims that college is where John and Noel first fell in love. It was love at first sight for the actor, who met her at Colorado State University while playing football and studying sociology.
They weren’t the same, though. Their ancestors came from different nations; his were Ghanaian, while she was an Ashkenazi Jew descended from Eastern Europe. They had a deep bond despite their differences, which eventually developed into an enduring love.
Regrettably, society’s prejudices concerning race did not overcome their love. They were alive for the civil rights movement, which saw Black Americans actively resisting racial inequality and segregation throughout the nation.
Interracial marriage was outlawed in around sixteen states by 1965. Nevertheless, the two lovers proceeded to tie the knot. It’s unknown if their individual families were happy about the union.
In 1967, the US Supreme Court struck down a law that forbade interracial marriages, rewarding their bravery. As a result, John and Noel’s marriage received national legal recognition. The marriage brought with it offspring.
What We Know about Noel and John’s Children
John and Noel welcomed their first child, Shannon Amos, a year before being legally recognized as a married pair. Shannon is employed in the entertainment sector as well, albeit more in the background. She produced and wrote for major media companies like MTV and BET.
In 1970, the ex-couple welcomed their second child, a son named Kelly Christopher “K.C.” Amos, who went by the nickname since his father, John, was a football player for the Kansas City Chiefs. He works in the profession as a director, producer, and video editor, just like his father and sister.
He has had a hand in films such as “The Watermelon Heist,” “Tamales and Gumbo,” and “Hauntsville.” Despite John and the children’s mother’s best efforts to raise the kids in a racist-free atmosphere, prejudice in society eventually caught up with them.
Thankfully, Shannon and K.C. remained close to their parents and cited their well-known father as one of their key sources of motivation.
On Instagram, Shannon Amos once disclosed that a bigot with a gun had threatened her father and several members of her family. Her parents had to convey their harsh reality to her because it was her first experience with it.
In 1975, John and his first spouse parted ways. Unfortunately, he lost his job at “Good Times” after a year. They fired him when he and the show’s writers couldn’t agree on anything, leading to the elimination of his role.
Later on, the actor wed twice more. Actress Lillian Lehman and he wed in secret, but by 1979 their union was over and they split up.
A Legend Is Gone
Reports surfaced on October 1, 2024, stating that John passed away on August 21, 2024, at the age of 84. K.C., the late actor’s son, disclosed that the famous person died in Los Angeles of natural causes. “It is with heartfelt sadness that I share with you that my father has transitioned,” K.C. said in a poignant message.
“He was a man with the kindest heart and a heart of gold… and he was loved the world over,” the actor who portrayed weatherman Gordy on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” stated in tribute. According to Shannon’s younger sibling, “many fans consider him their TV father.”
K.C. added, “He had a fulfilling life. His exceptional acting performances in movies and television will carry on his legacy.” John Alan Amos Jr., the late celebrity, was born on December 27, 1939. The actor’s father drove a tractor-trailer and was a mechanic in Newark, New Jersey.
After pursuing additional schooling, his mother Annabelle, a housekeeper by trade, went on to become a nutritionist. John entered the entertainment industry when his mother, a famous person, cleaned the cartoonist’s home when he was working on the Archie comics.
“It blew my imagination wide open,” the actor said of seeing a tape of “The Archie Show” on radio at Radio City Music Hall in New York City with a buddy. John was a cartoonist and newspaper writer at school.
In addition, he got to play the running back position in football and the part of a prisoner in a performance of “The Man Who Came to Dinner”. After doing stand-up comedy, the celebrity went on to write for television and act on variety shows. The rest is history.
May John’s family find strength as they continue grieving their loss.