As we celebrate black history month, it is important to recognize the achievements of black individuals throughout history.
One area where black excellence often goes overlooked is in the domain of multiple births. There have been several instances of black quadruplets making history.
Let’s take a look at some of the black quadruplets that have made the headlines in human history.
1. The Fultz Quadruplets
The Fultz quadruplets were a set of identical African American quadruplets born in 1946 at Annie Penn Hospital, Reidsville, North Carolina, to Pete and Annie Mae Fultz.
The sisters, Mary Ann, Mary Louise, Mary Alice, and Mary Catherine, gained national attention and appeared in various shows and events as a result of their rare birth.
However, their upbringing was far from glamorous, as their parents struggled to provide for their large family of 13, which entailed their 100+-year-old grandmother.
Despite facing challenges such as racism and exploitation, the Fultz sisters went on to have successful lives and careers.
All the Filtz quadruplets died between the ages of 45 and 72, despite their slim chance of survival during birth.
2. The Tafelsig Quadruplets
The Tafelsig quadruplets were born in 2021 to Berenice Jacobs and Melvyn Loots.
The 35-year-old mom, Berenice, was happily raising 3 boys with her husband, but always had a longing for having a girl.
During a scan at the Tafelsig Clinic, while she was pregnant, the nurse suggested that she would have multiple births of three children.
It was later confirmed at Lentegeur District Hospital that Berenice was in fact pregnant with four children; three girls and a boy.
Sadly, upon their 10-week premature birth, one of the quadruplets died while they were still in hospital.
The surviving 3 were discharged two months later, and are now toddlers leading healthy and happy lives.
3. The Morales Quadruplets
Erica Morales and Carlos Morales welcomed their quadruplets at a hospital in Phoenix on January 15, 2015.
Sadly, Erica died of blood loss the following morning, leaving Carlos with the tremendous task of catering to their four children.
Carlos was 29 at the time, with very little experience in raising infants. His quads’ names are Carlos Jr., and Tracy, and identical twins Erica and Paisley.
4. The Wade Quadruplets
Quadruplets Aaron, Nick, Nigel, and Zachary were born four minutes apart to Kim and Darrin Wade on January 8, 1999. The mom, Kim Wade, was 52 years old at the time.
The Wade quadruplets are known as the world’s smartest quads, evidenced by their enrollment to a prestigious university, Yale, and graduating on the same day in 2021.
5. The Pyfrom Quadruplets
The Pyfrom sisters Jodi, Catherine, Christina, and Janelle were born to Joanne and Craig Pyfrom on May 11, 1995, at Jackson Memorial Hospital, Miami, Florida.
The identical quads quickly gained recognition as soon as the news of their birth broke.
The sisters were born 10 weeks early weighing 1 pound to 2 pounds.
They grew up in the Bahamas and developed a passion for music, which moved them to join the music industry and form a pop band, FourEver 1.
6. The Furtick Quadruplets
The identical Furtick quads, comprising Victor, Jason, Kevin, and Keith, were born to Brenda and Keith Furtick in June 1990.
Growing up, the boys were featured in company commercials and even made an appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show at the age of ten.
They grew up referring to themselves as “The Furtick Quads.”
Despite sharing different interests, the boys have always had a strong bond, and often assure each other of the love they share.
7. The Smith Quadruplets
Callie and Gabriel Smith welcomed their quadruplets at the Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center on June 16, 2023.
The California couple’s quads Norah, Selah, Ezra, and Abigail Smith were born 9 weeks early.
They spent over 40 days at the NICU before they could learn how to eat and breathe on their own.
The quads were born into a family of 5, comprising three older siblings, Ariella, 7, and twins Noah and Samara, 4.
8. The Harper Quadruplets
Gerald Harper and Dayna Harper welcomed Grant, Gavin, Sydney, and Bailey into their family on March 11, 2023.
The couple learned that they were expecting quadruplets in September 2022, following the loss of their firstborn child earlier that year in April.
9. The Joseph Quadruplets
Divinar Nyangarisa Joseph, a Kenyan Swahili teacher, hit the headlines in 2016 after she delivered four girls at once.
The then-mother of one was engulfed with mixed emotions when she learned that she would have multiple births.
Her daughters, Lyanna, Lisa, Lara, and Libby, were born on June 22, 2016.
Aside from the preterm delivery that required the girls to be incubated for two months, Lara and Lyanna were born with holes in their hearts.
The 7-year-olds are living healthy lives under the care of their mother.
10. The Ditsile Quadruplets
Keneilwe Ditsile of Digawana, Botswana, gave birth to her boys Abaleng Jaiden, Amagolo Jordan, Anele Jaisen, and Atlegang Joe Ditsile in May 2019 at the Life Gaborone Private Hospital.
She and her husband, Otsile Kgafela, were parents to three older boys aged between 6 and 15 at the time of the quads’ arrival.
Unlike most quadruplets, the Distile boys were born healthy at 37 weeks and didn’t have to remain confined at the nursery for more than 3 days.
