Meet Dave Chappelle's parents and siblings, the influences behind his comedy genius
Comedian Dave Chappelle’s parents are Yvonne Seon and William David Chappelle III. He was raised alongside two siblings, Felicia Chappelle Jones and William S. Chappelle. The entertainer’s family members played a crucial role in shaping not only his personal life, but also his career.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Dave Chappelle’s parents divorced when he was young, but he continued enjoying their love and support.
- His father passed away in 1998, while his mother is an American professor specialising in African-American studies.
- He has two older siblings, who are not as famous as he is, choosing to live their lives privately.
Profile summary
| Full name | David Khari Webber Chappelle |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 24 August 1973 |
| Age | 51 years old (as of March 2025) |
| Zodiac sign | Virgo |
| Place of birth | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Current residence | Yellow Springs, Ohio, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African-American |
| Religion | Islamic |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Height in feet | 5'11" |
| Height in centimetres | 180 |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Mother | Yvonne Seon |
| Father | William David Chappelle III |
| Siblings | 2 |
| Marital status | Married |
| Partner | Elaine Chappelle |
| Children | 3 |
| School | Eastern High School, Duke Ellington School of Art |
| Profession | Comedian, actor |
| @davechappelle | |
| X (Twitter) | @DaveChappelle |
Who are Dave Chappelle’s parents?
The stand-up comedian is the second son of Yvonne Seon and William David Chappelle III. His parents reportedly parted ways when he was six, and he balanced his childhood between two cities, Washington, D.C, where his mother lived, and Ohio, where his father lived. Here is all about each of the comedian’s parents.
Yvonne Seon
Source: UGC
Dave Chappelle’s mother was born Yvonne Reed on 20 December 1937, in Washington, D.C., United States. She obtained her undergraduate degree from Allegheny College in 1959 before earning a master’s degree from American University. She also reportedly studied at Union Institute & University and Howard University.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Yvonne Seon has an extensive scholarly career. She started her career as a parish minister in 1981 and was in the position for approximately 22 years, until 2003. Yvonne was a professor of black studies at Prince George’s Community College between 1996 and 2006.
She was also a founding director of the Bolinga Black Cultural Resource Centre at Wright State University. Currently, she serves on the board of trustees of Allegheny College and is also a speaker on My Life in the Congo.
Source: UGC
In his acceptance speech for the Mark Twain Prize for American Humour, Dave Chappelle narrated to the audience the important role his mother played in raising him well and supporting his career from a young age. He said:
I was a soft kid. I was sensitive. I cry easy, and I would be scared to fist fight. And my mother used to tell me this thing. I don’t know if you remember, but you said this to me more than once. You said, son, sometimes you have to be a lion so you can be the lamb you really are.
William David Chappelle III
Source: UGC
Dave Chappelle’s father, William David Chappelle III, was born on 16 December 1938, in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. He went to Brown University and later graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from Antioch College. After college, he joined the US military, where he served for approximately four years.
William moved to Yellow Springs, Ohio in 1967 and became a faculty member of the Co-op Department. He became a music professor, teaching vocal performance and was also dean of students and dean of community services.
Besides teaching music, he was a civil rights activist in Ohio. He was a member of the Yellow Springs Human Relations Commission and has founded several organisations, including Help Us Make A Nation (HUMAN) and African American Cross-Cultural Works. He taught anti-racism, worked on community programs, and was also a statistician.
In 1980, Dave Chappelle’s father was honoured with the Walter F. Anderson Award from the Antioch College Alumni Association. Unfortunately, he passed on in July 1998, in Yellow Springs, Ohio.
Source: Getty Images
In his closing remarks for his late father, Dave Chappelle revealed his father did not approve of his career. However, his words of inspiration encouraged him to face any challenging situation in life. The comedian said:
My dad used to say that his mind was his own. They could put him in a person that could do pretty much anything they wanted to him, rather than his mind was his own. But anything that you read about him on paper was almost insignificant relative to what his inner life consisted of. But he was a very deep person, in his own way and through his own liking. And one of the main pillars of his upbringing was that you shouldn’t really worry too much about what happens outside of yourself because what’s happening inside of yourself is often times more for yourself.
Dave Chappelle’s siblings
Source: UGC
The American actor and comedian has two siblings: Felicia Chappelle Jones and William S. Chappelle. His brother, William, is older than him and unlike Dave, who is so famous, William lives a private life and not much is known about him.
Felicia is also older than him, and she is a podcaster, writer, and actress. She is the host of the Madcap Podcast, which features celebrity news, live interviews, community updates and events. His sister has starred in a few movies, including Bum One and Ushers. In an episode of What Happened Was Felicia narrates how Dave discovered his talent at a young age, saying:
A story that I do not tell very often outside of this is that when we were young, he used to have these elaborate stories. After Thanksgiving or any family gathering, we would all sit around in the family room, and he would tell these elaborate stories, and he was like three or four years old.
FAQs
- Who is Dave Chappelle's mother? His mother is Yvonne Seon, an American professor who specialises in African studies, African-American studies, and government administration.
- Is Dave Chappelle’s father still alive? No. His father, William David Chappelle III, a former music professor and civil rights advocate, passed away in July 1998.
- Who are Dave Chappelle’s family members? The comedian’s parents are Yvonne Seon and William David Chappelle III, and he has two older siblings, Felicia Chappelle Jones and William S. Chappelle.
- What is Dave Chappelle’s mother’s ethnicity? She is of mixed heritage, and Dave revealed that she is half-white.
- What was Dave Chappelle's childhood like? His parents divorced when he was young and had to share his time between Washington, D.C., where his mother lived and Yellow Springs, Ohio, where his father lived.
- Who is Dave Chappelle's sister? His sister is Felicia Chappelle Jones, a podcaster, actress, poet, and author.
- Are Dave Chappelle’s siblings famous? His siblings do not enjoy as much fame as him because they have mostly stayed away from the public eye. However, Felicia is a bit prominent as she has been involved in entertainment.
- Does Dave Chappelle have a close relationship with his siblings? He occasionally mentions his siblings in his interviews, suggesting that they have a good relationship.
- Is Dave Chappelle married? Yes. The comedian’s wife is Elaine Chappelle, who he married in 2001.
- Who are Dave Chappelle’s children? He is a father of three children, two sons and a daughter. His sons are Sulayman and Ibrahim Chappelle, and his daughter is Sanaa Chappelle.
Dave Chappelle’s parents, although divorced when he was young, played an important role in his career as an entertainer. They were scholars, and despite Dave choosing a career path different from theirs, they inspired and encouraged him to believe in his capabilities and pursue his dreams. The comedian shares a good relationship with his two older siblings.
Legit.ng recently published about Xavi Simon’s parents and siblings. The Dutch professional footballer has amazed the world with his talent, which has seen his play for European football giants, such as RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain F.C.
Xavi Simons credits his success in football not only to his hard work but also the support and encouragement he receives from his family. They have seen him rise from a little boy to a world-renowned footballer. Read this article to discover Xavi Simons’ family members and how they have supported his career.
Source: Legit.ng
