Jonah Patel
Kamala Harris is a biracial and bicultural woman, with an Indian mother and a Jamaican father. Harris is the first woman of Black and South Asian heritage to be a major party's presidential nominee. She is also the first female U.S. vice president, the first African-American vice president, and the first Asian-American vice president. Harris's multiracial background has been a topic of interest and scrutiny, with some questioning the authenticity of her Black identity. Despite this, Harris's racial identity has been a source of celebration and pride for many, reflecting the diverse and layered backgrounds of millions of Americans.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Race | Black and South Asian |
| Nationality | American |
| Citizenship | US |
| Gender | Female |
| Political Party | Democratic Party |
| Profession | Politician and Attorney |
| Current Position | Vice President of the United States |
| Previous Position | United States Senator representing California |
| Education | Howard University and the University of California, Hastings College of the Law |
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What You'll Learn
Kamala Harris is biracial
Harris was born in Oakland, California, on October 20, 1964, and grew up in a multicultural environment. She has described her upbringing as being influenced by a "multicultural village" of "aunties" and "uncles" from various racial and cultural backgrounds. Harris's biracial identity has been a significant aspect of her public image and political career. She has been open about her background and has celebrated her diverse heritage.
However, her racial identity has also been the subject of scrutiny and debate. During her political campaigns, particularly in the 2024 presidential election, opponents, including former President Donald Trump, questioned and challenged her racial identity. Trump falsely suggested that Harris had misled voters about her race, claiming that she "'happened to turn Black'" and that he didn't know her racial identity until recently. These comments tapped into the long history of racism in America, where racial categories have been defined and policed by some White Americans.
Despite the controversy, Harris's biracial identity has been embraced by many Americans who identify as multiracial and see their own stories reflected in her layered background. Harris's vice presidency and her presence on the national political stage represented a significant milestone for racial representation and inclusivity in American politics.
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She is the daughter of a Jamaican father and Indian mother
Kamala Harris is the daughter of a Jamaican father and an Indian mother, making her the first Black and South Asian woman to be a major party's presidential nominee. Harris's father, Donald J. Harris, is a retired Stanford University professor emeritus of economics who immigrated from Jamaica to the United States in 1961. He served as an economic consultant to the Jamaican government and advised several Jamaican prime ministers. Harris's mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a biologist who moved from India to the United States in 1958 to pursue graduate studies in endocrinology at the University of California, Berkeley.
Harris has described herself as a "Black woman and a woman of colour", and her multiracial background has been a significant aspect of her political career. She has faced scrutiny and criticism from opponents regarding her racial and ethnic identity, with some questioning whether she is Indian or Black. However, Harris's diverse heritage has also been a source of celebration and pride for many, particularly those who identify as multiracial and see their own stories reflected in her success.
Harris's parents divorced when she was seven years old, and she spent weekends at her father's house in Palo Alto while living with her mother during the week. Growing up, Harris was exposed to her father's Jamaican culture through visits to the island and connections with family members there. She also grew up eating Indian food, and her mother's Indian heritage was a significant part of her upbringing.
Harris's biracial identity has been described as either a strength or a weakness, depending on whom you ask. Some view her diverse background as a positive, inclusive aspect of her candidacy, while others have used it as a critique. Despite the varying opinions, Harris's nomination as the vice-presidential candidate represents a significant step forward in representation for women and people of colour in American politics.
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Harris is the first Black and Asian-American vice president
Kamala Harris is the first Black and Asian-American vice president of the United States. Harris, who served as vice president from 2021 to 2025, is of Indian-Jamaican heritage. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a biologist who immigrated to the United States from India in 1958, and her father, Donald J. Harris, is an Afro-Jamaican who immigrated to the US in 1961. Both of her parents were active in the civil rights movement and met at the University of California, Berkeley. Harris herself is a graduate of Howard University, a historically Black university in Washington, DC.
Harris's multiracial background and upbringing have been a significant part of her political career and campaign. During her 2024 presidential campaign, she paid tribute to her roots and honoured her multicultural upbringing in California's Bay Area. Harris's racial identity has been a topic of discussion and scrutiny, with some Republicans questioning her Black heritage and suggesting that she has misled voters about her racial identity. However, her identity as a biracial woman has also been a source of celebration and inspiration for many Americans who see themselves reflected in her layered background.
Harris has broken barriers as the first female vice president and the first Black and Asian-American vice president in the history of the United States. Her victory as the highest-ranking woman ever elected in American government gave hope to women, especially those who were disappointed by Hillary Clinton's defeat in the previous election. Harris's presence in the vice presidency, according to Cory Booker, made the institution "more accessible to more people," reflecting the multiculturalism that defines America but is often absent from Washington's power centres.
Throughout her political career, Harris has advocated for various causes, including stricter gun control laws, the DREAM Act, federal legalization of cannabis, and reforms in healthcare and taxation. She gained national recognition for her pointed questions to officials in the Trump administration during Senate hearings. As vice president, she presided over an evenly split US Senate and cast a record-breaking 33 tie-breaking votes, including for the passing of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act.
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Harris's racial identity was questioned by Donald Trump
Kamala Harris, the former Vice President of the United States, is a woman of Black and South Asian heritage. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a biologist who immigrated to the United States from India in 1958, while her father, Donald J. Harris, is an Afro-Jamaican who immigrated to the US in 1961. Harris herself was born in Oakland, California, in 1964.
Harris' racial identity has been questioned by former President Donald Trump, who falsely suggested that she had misled voters about her racial and ethnic identity. During an interview with the National Association of Black Journalists in Chicago in July 2024, Trump claimed that Harris had only recently started emphasizing her Black heritage, saying:
> "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?"
Trump's comments tapped into the long history of racism in America, where racial categories have been defined and policed by white people. They also reflected the sharp political divisions between Harris and Trump supporters on issues such as race, immigration, and gender identity. While Harris' supporters have embraced her inclusive message, celebrating her identity as a strength, Republicans have tried to use her racial and ethnic background against her, calling her a "DEI" (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) candidate.
Harris herself has not directly addressed the questions about her race, choosing instead to directly mention her multiracial background and upbringing during her 2024 presidential campaign. She paid tribute to her roots, honoring her mother as a brown woman and her father as a Caribbean man. She also acknowledged the multicultural village of "aunties" and "uncles" in California's Bay Area who contributed to her upbringing. Harris' decision to highlight her diverse background was a way to offer a visual political message that could appeal to a broad range of Americans who see themselves reflected in her story.
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Harris's multiracial identity was celebrated by her supporters
Kamala Harris's multiracial identity has been a topic of discussion during her time as a politician and attorney in the United States. Harris, the daughter of immigrants from Jamaica and India, identifies as a Black and South Asian woman. During her 2024 presidential campaign, Harris's multiracial identity was celebrated by her supporters, who saw her as a reflection of their own layered backgrounds and a symbol of inclusivity.
Harris's supporters embraced her multiracial identity as a strength, especially in contrast to her rival's campaign, which had been criticised for insensitivity and ignorance. Audience members at a rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July 2024, cheered for Harris, and her supporters turned the critiques of her identity into positive political memes. Harris's multiracial identity was also celebrated by civil rights leader Rev. Al Sharpton, who noted that Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress, would be proud of Harris's accomplishment.
Harris herself has embraced and celebrated her multiracial identity, opting for direct mentions of her background and upbringing during her speeches. During the 2024 Democratic National Convention, she paid tribute to her roots, honouring her mother, a brown woman from India, and her father, a Caribbean man from Jamaica. She also acknowledged the multicultural village of "aunties" and "uncles" in California's Bay Area who helped shape her upbringing. Harris's relatives joined her onstage after her speech, showcasing the diverse and overlapping races that make up her extended family.
Harris's multiracial identity has sparked a broader conversation about multiracial identity in the United States. According to a 2015 study by the Pew Research Center, about 6.9% of the US adult population could be considered multiracial. However, a more recent analysis of 2018 US Census Bureau data puts this number at 2.4%. This growing group of Americans with multiracial backgrounds faces complex decisions and pressures when it comes to choosing how to identify themselves. Harris's openness about her own multiracial identity has provided a sense of representation and validation for many Americans who share similar backgrounds.
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Frequently asked questions
Kamala Harris is of Black and South Asian heritage. Her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was Indian and her father, Donald J. Harris, is Afro-Jamaican.
No, Kamala Harris was the first female US vice president and the first African-American and Asian-American vice president. She was the Democratic presidential nominee in the 2024 election but lost to the Republican nominees, former president Trump and Ohio senator JD Vance.
Kamala Harris served as a United States senator representing California from 2017 to 2021 and as the attorney general of California from 2011 to 2017.
Kamala Harris graduated from Howard University, a historically Black university in Washington, DC, and the University of California, Hastings College of Law.
Kamala Harris has directly mentioned her multiracial background and upbringing in her speeches. She has also paid tribute to her roots as the daughter of a brown woman and a Caribbean man.
