News Mania Desk/Agnibeena Ghosh/1st August 2024
Recently, former President Donald Trump sparked controversy by alleging that Vice President Kamala Harris had “happened to turn Black” in recent years, claiming that she had shifted from identifying as Indian-American to Black. Trump’s assertion, however, is not grounded in truth. Harris has consistently embraced both her Indian and Black heritage, reflecting the diverse identities of her parents.
During a gathering of Black journalists in Chicago, Trump was questioned by an interviewer about his views on Harris and whether he agreed with Republicans who have labeled her a “DEI hire” (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion hire). In response, Trump cast doubt on Harris’s heritage, questioning her racial identity.
Trump claimed, “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?” He further suggested that someone should investigate Harris’s identity, implying that she had deliberately altered her racial identity for political gain.
However, these claims misrepresent Harris’s lifelong identification with both her Indian and Black heritage. Kamala Harris has always acknowledged her mixed-race identity, honoring both her parents’ backgrounds. As stated in her Senate biography, she is “the second African-American woman and first South Asian-American senator in history.” This recognition underscores her dual identity, which she has consistently upheld throughout her career.
In her 2019 memoir, The Truths We Hold, Harris delves into her upbringing and the influence of her multicultural background. She describes how she and her sister, Maya, were raised with a deep appreciation for Indian culture, instilled by their mother, Shyamala Gopalan. At the same time, their mother ensured that they were also proud of their Black identity, understanding the significance of raising two Black daughters in America. Harris’s memoir highlights her mother’s determination to instill confidence and pride in their Black heritage while maintaining a strong connection to their Indian roots.
The Reuters Fact Check team has also addressed Trump’s misleading comments, confirming that Harris has consistently identified with a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds, including Black, South Asian, Indian-American, African-American, and Jamaican-American. These identities are rooted in her parents’ diverse backgrounds: her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a Tamil Indian-American who immigrated to the United States, and her father, Donald Harris, is Jamaican-American. Donald Harris, who emigrated from Jamaica to the U.S. in 1964, comes from a country where the majority of the population are descendants of enslaved Africans brought to the island by the British during the 18th century.
Kamala Harris’s identity is thus a reflection of her rich, multicultural heritage, rather than a sudden or opportunistic shift. As the first Black woman and Asian-American to be on a major U.S. presidential ticket, Harris embodies the intersection of these identities, which she has consistently celebrated and upheld. Trump’s remarks misrepresent her long-standing recognition of her heritage, failing to acknowledge the complexity and pride with which Harris embraces both her Indian and Black roots.
