Enid Arden Span (also recorded in some sources as “Spann”) was the first wife of Jackie Jackson, founding member of the Jackson 5 and the second-oldest of the Jackson siblings. Their marriage, which began in 1974 and ended in divorce in 1987, produced two children and was later marked by allegations of infidelity and domestic abuse that became part of the wider public record on the Jackson family.
Who Was Enid Arden Span?
Enid Arden Span married Jackie Jackson (born Sigmund Esco Jackson, May 4, 1951) in November 1974, following a five-year courtship. She largely stayed out of the public eye during and after the marriage, and detailed, verifiable information about her early life, family background, and career remains limited. Several entertainment sites report her birth date as June 27, 1954, and her birthplace as either the United States or South Korea — these details are UNCONFIRMED, as no authoritative source (Wikipedia, contemporaneous press coverage) corroborates either claim.
Marriage to Jackie Jackson
Span and Jackson married in November 1974, during a period when the Jackson 5 were transitioning away from Motown toward CBS/Epic Records. The couple had two children:
- Sigmund Esco “Siggy” Jackson Jr. — born June 29, 1977
- Brandi Jackson — born February 6, 1982
The marriage did not run smoothly. According to a January 1986 Los Angeles Times report, the couple separated in 1984 and Span filed for divorce, but the two reconciled in 1985. Span filed for divorce a final time in January 1986, and reportedly obtained a restraining order against Jackson after alleging he had been physically abusive. The divorce was finalized in 1987.
A separate, frequently repeated claim — that Span once struck Jackson with her car after finding him with then-Laker Girl and choreographer Paula Abdul — originates from Margaret Maldonado’s 1995 memoir Jackson Family Values (Maldonado was Jermaine Jackson’s former partner). This account conflicts with contemporaneous Jet magazine reporting, which attributed a 1984 injury Jackson suffered ahead of the Victory Tour to a knee injury sustained during rehearsals. This car-incident claim should be treated as a disputed secondhand allegation, not a confirmed fact.
Life After the Divorce and Death
Following the divorce, Span raised the couple’s two children. She died in 1997 from a brain aneurysm; some entertainment sites give the specific date as December 20, 1997, and her age at death as 43, though these specifics are UNCONFIRMED beyond the year, which is corroborated by a Jet magazine death notice cited on Wikipedia.
Jackie Jackson’s Later Marriages
Jackson remarried twice after his divorce from Span:
| Spouse | Married | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Victoria Triggs | 2001 | Later divorced (reported 2007) |
| Emily Besselink | 2012 | Together they had twins, River T. Jackson and Jaylen Milan Jackson, born December 31, 2013 |
Jackson has four children in total across his marriages: Siggy, Brandi, River, and Jaylen.
Quick Facts
- Full name: Enid Arden Span (also spelled Spann)
- Known for: First wife of Jackie Jackson of the Jackson 5
- Married: November 1974
- Children: Sigmund Esco “Siggy” Jackson Jr. (b. 1977), Brandi Jackson (b. 1982)
- Divorced: Finalized 1987, after a final filing in January 1986
- Died: 1997, brain aneurysm
- Net worth: No authoritative figures are publicly available; any specific dollar estimates circulating online are unverified and should not be treated as fact.
Frequently Asked Questions
When did Enid Arden Span marry Jackie Jackson? They married in November 1974, after dating for roughly five years, during the period when the Jackson 5 were moving from Motown to Epic Records.
How many children did Enid Arden Span and Jackie Jackson have? Two: son Sigmund Esco “Siggy” Jackson Jr., born in 1977, and daughter Brandi Jackson, born in 1982.
Why did Enid Arden Span and Jackie Jackson divorce? Span filed for divorce in 1984, the couple briefly reconciled in 1985, and she filed again — for the final time — in January 1986, reportedly after alleging physical abuse and obtaining a restraining order. The divorce was finalized in 1987.
How did Enid Arden Span die? She died in 1997 from a brain aneurysm. The exact date and her age at death are reported inconsistently across sources and are not confirmed by a primary source.
Did Jackie Jackson remarry after Enid Arden Span? Yes. He married Victoria Triggs in 2001 (they later divorced) and Emily Besselink in 2012, with whom he had twins in 2013.
Sources
- Wikipedia, “Jackie Jackson” (citing Los Angeles Times, January 9, 1986; Jet, January 12, 1998; People, August 8, 2024)
- Jet magazine archives (via Google Books)
- Los Angeles Times archive, January 9, 1986
Note: Several details commonly repeated across entertainment sites — Enid Span’s exact birth date, birthplace, and the circumstances of her death — could not be verified against a primary or authoritative secondary source and are flagged accordingly above.
