She had an older sister, Phyllis, and a younger brother, Stanley. The family lived in a middle-class neighborhood (now part of Watts, California). Barbara and Stanley attended Woodcrest elementary school, Bret Hart Junior High School, and Washington High School, all of which are in Southern Los Angeles.
Barbara's family consisted of an older sister, Phyllis, and a younger brother, Stanley. They resided in a middle-class neighborhood (now part of Watts, California), where Barbara and Stanley attended school in the Southern Los Angeles area.