Joan Baez Parents: Who Are Albert Baez & Joan Bridge?

Joan Baez is the daughter of Albert Baez and Joan Bridge. Her father, Albert Baez was born in Puebla, Mexico, and grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where his father preached to and advocated for a Spanish-speaking congregation. Albert first considered becoming a minister but instead turned to the study of mathematics and physics and received his Ph.D. degree at Stanford University in 1950.

Albert was later credited as a co-inventor of the X-ray microscope.

Joan’s mother, Joan Baez (Bridge), referred to as Joan Senior or Big Joan was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, the second daughter of an English Anglican priest who claimed to be descended from the Dukes of Chandos. Born on April 11, 1913, she died on April 20, 2013.

The Baez family converted to Quakerism during Joan’s early childhood, and she has continued to identify with the tradition, particularly in her commitment to pacifism and social issues. While growing up, Baez was subjected to racial slurs and discrimination because of her Mexican heritage.