Omar Bennett
Kamala Harris is 60 years old. She was born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, to an Indian biologist mother and a Jamaican economist father. Harris served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025, making history as the first woman, first Black American, and first Asian American to hold the office.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | 20 October 1964 |
| Age | 60 years |
| Place of Birth | Oakland, California, US |
| Parents | Shyamala Gopalan (biologist) and Donald J. Harris (economics doctoral student) |
| Race/Ethnicity | Biracial (Jamaican and Indian); Black and Asian-American |
| Political Party | Democratic Party |
| Alma Mater | Howard University |
| Education | B.A. in political science and economics; law degree |
| Profession | Politician |
| Notable Positions Held | 49th Vice President of the United States (2021-2025); United States Senator for California (2017-2021); Attorney General of California (2011-2017) |
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What You'll Learn
- Kamala Harris was born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California
- She turned 60 in 2024
- Harris's parents were immigrants from Jamaica and India
- She was the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025
- Harris is the first woman, the first Black American, and the first Asian American to hold the post
Kamala Harris was born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California
Kamala Harris's identity as a biracial woman has been a topic of public interest and speculation, with some questioning the authenticity of her Black or Asian identities. Harris is the first Black woman and the first Asian-American to run for vice president on a major party ticket in the United States. She served as the 49th vice president from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. During her tenure, she made history as the first woman, the first Black American, and the first Asian American to hold the office.
Prior to her vice presidency, Harris had a prominent career in politics, serving as a United States Senator for California from 2017 to 2021. She was the second African-American woman and the first South Asian-American senator in history. During her time in the Senate, she served on several committees, including the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Select Committee on Intelligence. Harris also previously served as Attorney General of California from 2011 to 2017.
Kamala Harris's life and career have been marked by her commitment to inclusivity and her historic role as a biracial woman in American politics. She has broken barriers and served as an inspiration to many, particularly as the first woman and person of colour to hold the office of vice president. On October 20, 2024, Harris celebrated her 60th birthday in the midst of a tight election battle with Republican rival Donald Trump. Despite her advanced age, Harris remains actively involved in politics and continues to leave her mark on the American political landscape.
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She turned 60 in 2024
Kamala Harris turned 60 on October 20, 2024. She was born in Oakland, California, in 1964. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a biologist who immigrated to the United States from India in 1958. Her father, Donald J. Harris, immigrated from Jamaica in 1961. Kamala's parents met in 1962 and married in 1963. The family lived in Berkeley until they moved around 1966, when Kamala was two years old.
Kamala Harris served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025, making her the first woman, the first Black American, and the first Asian American to hold the post. She previously served in the U.S. Senate from 2017 to 2021 and as attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017.
Harris's identity as a biracial woman has been a topic of both celebration and scrutiny during her public life in politics. She is the daughter of an Indian mother and a Jamaican father, making her a mixed-race woman with Black and Asian heritage. Harris's historic selection as the Democratic vice-presidential candidate in 2020 represented a milestone for diversity and the acknowledgment of Black women's leadership in American democracy.
In the final stretch of her 2024 presidential campaign, Harris celebrated her 60th birthday while campaigning against Republican rival Donald Trump. She urged voters to choose compassion over chaos and spoke at a Baptist megachurch near Atlanta, energizing Black male voters and denouncing Trump's support of the 'stop and frisk' policy. Georgia was one of the key states expected to decide the election, and both candidates planned events in Pennsylvania, another must-win state.
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Harris's parents were immigrants from Jamaica and India
Kamala Harris, the 49th vice president of the United States, was born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California. Harris's parents, Shyamala Gopalan and Donald J. Harris, were immigrants from India and Jamaica, respectively.
Shyamala Gopalan, Kamala Harris's mother, was a biologist who immigrated to the United States from India in 1958. Gopalan enrolled in graduate school in endocrinology at the University of California, Berkeley. During her over 40-year research career, her work on the progesterone receptor gene contributed to advancements in breast cancer research.
Donald J. Harris, Kamala Harris's father, was an economics doctoral student who immigrated to the United States from Jamaica in 1961. He also enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, and later became the first Black scholar to be granted tenure at Stanford University's economics department.
Gopalan and Harris met in 1962 as part of a Black student group at Berkeley. They married in 1963 and had two daughters, Kamala and Maya. The family initially lived in Berkeley, but by 1966, around Harris's second birthday, they had relocated. In 1970, the marriage had faltered, and Gopalan moved back to Berkeley with her daughters. The couple divorced in 1972, and although the children were primarily raised by their mother, they spent weekends with their father.
Kamala Harris has both Black Jamaican and Indian ancestry, making her the first Black person and the first Asian American to serve as vice president.
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She was the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025
Kamala Harris was the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. Serving under President Joe Biden, she was the first woman, the first Black American, and the first Asian American to hold the post. Harris was born in 1964 in Oakland, California, to an Indian mother and a Jamaican father. Both her parents were immigrants and academics. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a biologist who made advances in breast cancer research through her work on the progesterone receptor gene. Her father, Donald J. Harris, was the first Black scholar to be granted tenure at Stanford University's economics department.
Harris graduated from Howard University in 1986 with a B.A. in political science and economics. She then earned a law degree from Hastings College in 1989. Before becoming vice president, she served in various political roles, including attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017 and United States Senator for California from 2017 to 2021. During her time in the Senate, she served on several committees, including the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee and the Select Committee on Intelligence. She also served as president of the Senate, casting the most tie-breaking votes in history.
In 2020, Harris became the first Black woman and the first Asian-American woman to be selected as a vice-presidential candidate on a major party ticket. Running alongside Joe Biden, she made history again as the first woman, first Black American, and first Asian American to become vice president. During her tenure, she broke barriers and represented a significant step forward for diversity and inclusion in American politics.
Harris's vice-presidential term ended in 2025, and she subsequently ran for president in the 2024 election. She faced Republican candidate and former president Donald Trump, who was 18 years her senior. During the campaign, Harris faced scrutiny and criticism from Republicans regarding her racial and ethnic identity. She ultimately lost the election to Trump, conceding the day after the vote.
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Harris is the first woman, the first Black American, and the first Asian American to hold the post
Kamala Harris, born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, is a history-maker. She is the first woman, the first Black American, and the first Asian American to hold the post of Vice President of the United States. Harris was sworn in as the 49th Vice President on January 20, 2021, serving from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. She is of Indian-Jamaican heritage, with her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, being a biologist who immigrated from India, and her father, Donald J. Harris, being an Afro-Jamaican economics doctoral student.
Harris's career in politics began in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office, where she went on to become the district attorney and top prosecutor for San Francisco in 2003, making history once again as the first Black woman and Asian American woman to hold this position. Her career progressed, and in 2010, she was elected Attorney General of California, the first woman, African American, and South Asian American to hold this office. During her tenure, she focused on consumer protection, criminal justice reform, and privacy rights.
In 2016, Harris won the Senate election, becoming the second Black woman and first South Asian American US senator. As a senator, she advocated for stricter gun control laws, the DREAM Act, federal legalization of cannabis, and healthcare and taxation reforms. She gained a national profile through her pointed questioning of Trump administration officials during Senate hearings.
Harris sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2019 but later became Joe Biden's running mate in the 2020 election. Their ticket defeated the incumbent president, Donald Trump, and vice president, Mike Pence. As vice president, Harris focused on advancing opportunities, delivering for families, and protecting fundamental freedoms, such as a woman's right to choose and the freedom to live safe from gun violence. She also took on the role of presiding over the Senate, casting several tie-breaking votes, and represented the nation abroad through foreign trips and meetings with world leaders.
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Frequently asked questions
Kamala Harris was born on October 20, 1964, and turned 60 in 2024.
Kamala Harris identifies as a biracial woman. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was Indian, and her father, Donald J. Harris, is Afro-Jamaican. Harris is the first Black and Asian-American woman to be vice president.
Kamala Harris served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. She was also the first woman and the first Black and Asian-American person to hold this position. Harris also served as a United States Senator for California from 2017 to 2021 and was the second African-American and first South Asian-American senator.
