Former President Donald Trump’s recent comments about Vice President Kamala Harris’ heritage have sparked considerable backlash and intensified public interest in her background. Trump’s remarks have fueled questions about whether Kamala Harris identifies more closely with her Indian or Black heritage.
Here is everything to know about Kamala Harris’ heritage.
What did Donald Trump say about Kamala Harris’ heritage?
Donald Trump recently sparked controversy with his remarks about Kamala Harris’ heritage. During an event with Black journalists in Chicago, Trump falsely asserted that Harris “happened to turn Black” a few years ago, suggesting a sudden change in her racial identity.
When asked if he agreed with Republicans labeling Harris as a “DEI hire,” Trump questioned her background. He said, “She was always of Indian heritage, and she was only promoting Indian heritage. I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago, when she happened to turn Black, and now she wants to be known as Black. So I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?” (via CNN)
The former president further added, “I respect either one, but she obviously doesn’t, because she was Indian all the way, and then all of a sudden she made a turn and she went – she became a Black person.”
Vice President Harris responded to Trump’s comments later that day and described them as “the same old show, the divisiveness and the disrespect.”
Did Kamala Harris say she is Indian?
Kamala Harris has consistently acknowledged both her Black and Indian heritage throughout her public life. Her biography on the White House website mentions “the first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American to be elected” as the U.S. Vice President.
In a 2016 interview with The New York Times, Harris clarified her racial and ethnic background, stating that her mother “had two Black babies, and she raised them to be two Black women.” In the 2019 memoir, The Truths We Hold, Harris describes how her mother and maternal grandparents instilled a sense of pride in their South Asian roots. She notes that her mother was very aware of raising “two Black daughters,” reinforcing her dual heritage. (via Forbes)
Is Kamala Harris Indian?
Kamala Harris has consistently identified herself as Black and South Asian, according to Reuters Fact Check. These identities reflect the diverse heritage she inherited from her parents.
Harris was born in Oakland, California, and her mixed background is a significant aspect of her identity. Her father, Donald Harris, hails from Jamaica, while her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, is originally from southern India. This combination of her parents’ backgrounds makes Harris the first person of both Black and South Asian American descent to hold a prominent office in the U.S.
