Malcolm Rivera
Kamala Harris, the 49th vice president of the United States, serving from 2021 to 2025, is 60 years old. Harris was born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, and is 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.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Kamala Devi Harris |
| Born | 20 October 1964 |
| Age | 60 |
| Birthplace | Oakland, California, US |
| Parents | Shyamala Gopalan, Donald J. Harris |
| Political Party | Democratic |
| Profession | Attorney, Senator, Vice President |
| Alma Mater | Howard University |
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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 is the first woman, first Black American, and first Asian American to hold the post of vice president
- She served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025
- Harris's parents are Donald J. Harris and Shyamala Gopalan, who are Jamaican and Indian, respectively
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 how authentic her Black or Asian identities are. Harris is the first Black American and the first Asian American to hold the post of vice president. She is also the first woman to have served in this role. Harris's historic selection as the Democratic vice-presidential candidate was announced in August 2020, and she served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025.
Prior to her role as vice president, Harris served in the U.S. Senate from 2017 to 2021 and as attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017. She is a graduate of Howard University, where she earned a B.A. in political science and economics in 1986. Harris also has a law degree from Hastings College, which she obtained in 1989.
In addition to her political career, Harris has authored several books, including "Smart on Crime: A Career Prosecutor's Plan to Make Us Safer" (2009), "The Truths We Hold: An American Journey" (2019), and "Superheroes Are Everywhere" (2019). She has had a very public life in politics for decades, and her presidential campaign in 2024 generated significant interest, particularly around her identity as a biracial woman.
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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 as part of a Black student group at the University of California, Berkeley. They married in 1963, and Kamala was born a year later.
Kamala Harris served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025, 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. She is the second African-American woman and the first South Asian-American senator in history.
Harris's historic selection as the Democratic vice-presidential candidate was announced in August 2020. Her candidacy represented a milestone opportunity for democracy to acknowledge the leadership that Black women have always exhibited but has too often been ignored. Harris is a graduate of Howard University, where she earned a B.A. in political science and economics in 1986. She also has a law degree from Hastings College, which she obtained in 1989.
Kamala Harris celebrated her 60th birthday while campaigning against Donald Trump in the 2024 United States presidential election. 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 that decided the election, and both candidates held events there in the weeks leading up to Election Day.
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Harris is the first woman, first Black American, and first Asian American to hold the post of vice president
Kamala Harris was born in Oakland, California, on October 20, 1964, and is currently 60 years old. She served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 under President Joe Biden. Harris is the first woman, first Black American, and first Asian American to hold the post of vice president.
Harris's parents, Shyamala Gopalan and Donald J. Harris, were immigrants from India and Jamaica, respectively. They met at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1962 as part of a Black student group and married in 1963. Gopalan was a biologist who specialized in endocrinology, while Harris was an economics doctoral student. Kamala Harris's sister, Maya, was born in 1966, and the family lived in various college towns in the Midwest before settling in Berkeley.
Harris's biracial identity as a Black and Asian American woman has been a significant aspect of her public life and political career. She has been praised for her inclusivity, with her supporters celebrating her identity and turning it into a positive political message. However, her race and identity have also been the subject of scrutiny and speculation, particularly during her vice presidential campaign. Some have questioned the authenticity of her Black and Asian identities, reflecting the complex nature of racial discourse in America.
Despite the speculation, Harris's selection as the Democratic vice presidential candidate in 2020 was a historic milestone. She is the first woman, first Black American, and first Asian American to hold the post of vice president. Harris's achievement represents a significant step forward in acknowledging the leadership and contributions of Black women, which have often been overlooked in the past. Her role in the White House has undoubtedly inspired and empowered individuals from diverse backgrounds, particularly women and people of color, to pursue their own leadership aspirations.
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She served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025
Kamala Harris, born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. She was the first woman, the first Black American, and the first Asian American to hold the post. Harris's vice presidency began with an evenly split U.S. Senate, and she cast 33 tie-breaking votes—more than any other vice president—to pass the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act.
Before becoming vice president, Harris served in the U.S. Senate from 2017 to 2021 and as attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017. She also broke barriers as the first woman of colour to serve as District Attorney of San Francisco. Harris's career has been marked by her commitment to fighting for the people, and she has worked on several bipartisan bills, including a bail reform bill with Rand Paul and an election security bill with James Lankford.
In 2024, Harris sought the Democratic nomination for the presidential election after then-President Joe Biden withdrew his candidacy. She received Biden's endorsement and became the Democratic nominee, selecting Minnesota governor Tim Walz as her running mate. However, she ultimately lost the election to the Republican nominees, former president Donald Trump and Ohio senator JD Vance.
Despite the loss, Harris's tenure as vice president was groundbreaking, and she presided over a significant period in American politics, navigating a divided Senate and advancing key legislation. Her time in office has undoubtedly left a mark on the country's political landscape, and her achievements as the first woman and person of colour to hold the vice presidency have paved the way for future generations.
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Harris's parents are Donald J. Harris and Shyamala Gopalan, who are Jamaican and Indian, respectively
Kamala Harris was born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, and served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025. Harris's parents are Donald J. Harris and Shyamala Gopalan, who are Jamaican and Indian, respectively. Donald and Shyamala met in 1962 as students at the University of California, Berkeley, where they were part of a Black student group. Donald was an economics doctoral student from Jamaica, and Shyamala came from India to study nutrition and endocrinology. The two became a power couple in the civil rights movement on campus and married in 1963. They had two daughters, Kamala and Maya, before divorcing in 1972.
Shyamala Gopalan (1938-2009) was a biologist and biomedical scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Her work on the progesterone receptor gene led to advances in breast cancer research and oncology. She immigrated to the United States in 1958 to enrol in graduate school in endocrinology at the University of California, Berkeley. Shyamala was raised in India, where there were limited opportunities for women who wanted to study science. Despite never having left India, her father supported her dream of pursuing a degree in biochemistry by paying for her first year of tuition with his retirement savings.
Donald J. Harris, born in Saint Ann's Bay, Jamaica, is a Jamaican-American economist and professor emeritus at Stanford University. He immigrated to the United States in 1961 and enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, specializing in development economics. He became the first Black scholar to be granted tenure at Stanford University's economics department. Harris grew up in Jamaica before its independence from the United Kingdom and attended British-run schools. He decided to pursue his doctorate in economics in the United States, drawn to the country's lively and evolving academic environment.
Kamala Harris has proudly spoken about her parents and the values they instilled in her. In her speech at the Democratic National Convention, she shared early memories of a home filled with laughter and music. She also recalled her father's encouragement to be fearless: "Run, Kamala, run. Don't be afraid. Don't let anything stop you." Harris has credited her mother, Shyamala, as the person most responsible for her success, thanking her in her 2020 victory speech after being elected vice president.
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Frequently asked questions
Kamala Harris was born on October 20, 1964, and turned 60 in 2024.
Kamala Harris was born in Oakland, California, US.
Her parents are Shyamala Gopalan, a biologist from India, and Donald J. Harris, an economics doctoral student from Jamaica.
Kamala Harris identifies as a biracial woman, with a Black Jamaican and Indian ethnic background.
Kamala Harris is known for her career in politics. She served as the 49th vice president of the United States from 2021 to 2025 and was the first woman and first Black and Asian-American person to hold this position. She has also served as a United States Senator for California and as attorney general of California.
