James Tobias Black was a pureblood wizard, the older son of Sirius and Samantha Black, and the eldest brother of Henry and Melissa Black, grandson to Walburga and Orion Black, cousin to Ashlyn Black and nephew to Thalia Black and Regulus Black. Although he was the heir of the House of Black, James disagreed with his family's belief in blood purity and defied Black traditions, just like his father, when he was sorted into Gryffindor House instead of Slytherin when he attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.