Today CBS Morning unveiled the cover of Tina Knowles’ upcoming book Matriarch: A Memoir. The philanthropist, designer, businesswoman, and mother of Beyoncé and Solange Knowles, took to Instagram for the announcement.
Tina Knowles Discusses Matriarch: A Memoir on Instagram
The mother of mothers compared the 2-year writing process to “giving birth,” and described it as “therapy.”
I have always been a storyteller, and it’s something I learned from my mother. When I had a family of my own, I believed that my daughters needed to know where they came from in order to know where they were going. I’m now ready to share my story with all of you, so that we can all celebrate these themes of strength, motherhood, Black pride, and identity.
What has Tina Knowles Been Up To?
The Knowles matriarch has had an eventful two years. In July 2023, she filed for divorce from her husband, actor Richard Lawson, after 8 years of marriage. She launched the haircare line Cécred with Bey in February of this year, as vice chairwoman. Earlier this month, she received Glamour’s Women of the Year Award. Just last week she appeared at Kamala Harris’ Houston rally to introduce Beyoncé and her “bonus daughter” Kelly Rowland.
The Origins of Beyoncé’s Name
The BeyHive has come to rely on Miss Tina to spill the tea. While her eldest daughter remains as private as ever, Mama Knowles always manages to divulge a little something to the starving fans.
A former Houston hairdresser, Tina Knowles has always had a great influence on Beyoncé’s career: from her iconic styling of Destiny’s Child to House of Deréon. Of course, Beyoncé had beautiful words for Mama Tina via Instagram.
The Galveston, Texas native will discuss her childhood and what it’s like raising superstars. I know Miss Tina’s life story is full of gems. I often think of how Beyoncé, Tina’s first-born child, got her name.
Tina’s maiden name is Beyoncé, but it was misspelled as Beyincé on her birth certificate. Tina Knowles recalls asking her late mother about the clerical error, in an episode of the Health, Harmony & Heather podcast:
So I said, ‘Well, why didn’t you argue and make them correct it?’ And she said, ‘I did one time. The first time, and I was told ‘Be happy that you’re getting a birth certificate’ because, at one time, Black people didn’t get birth certificates.’
And now everyone knows the name Beyoncé because she took her mother’s maiden name. If that’s a story we know, I can’t wait to see what else Matriarch: A Memoir has in store for readers.
The book releases on April 22, 2025, with preorder available now.
