The Wikipedia page for Kamala Harris has undergone many changes in the last decade, including mentions of her background, which has slowly become more black over the years.
In 2012, Wikipedia listed Harris, then the San Francisco District Attorney, as African-American, Tamil-American, and Asian-American—though neither of her parents is African-American; her mother is Indian and her father is a Jamaican of African and European heritage. One of Harris’s ancestors, Hamilton Brown, was an infamous slave owner.
Harris’s 2012 Wikipedia page, saved on the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine website, only mentions the word “black” three times. In 2019, however, when Harris served as a Senator, mentions of “black” on her Wikipedia page increased to ten. References to her attending a black Baptist church alongside a Hindu temple growing up also appear.
This year, the number of mentions of “black” significantly increased to 34 overall, with long screeds discussing the “African-American intellectuals and rights advocates” Harris was allegedly surrounded by in her youth.
While mentions of her Indian background on her mother’s side remain on the page, much of the description of Harris’s life is focused on her black background and issues related to African-Americans.
Harris’s background and identity have become a focal point of her campaign, as she has been less than forthcoming on real policy proposals. Even the New York Times says Harris’s “Blackness” will do no more to improve the country than former President Barack Obama‘s did during his presidency.
Harris, despite being a descendant of slave owners, has compared police officers to slavers, resulting in demands she apologize. Donald Trump is the only living president, including Obama, whose ancestors never owned slaves.
