Janet Jackson Questions Kamala Harris Identity: “I Heard She’s Not Black”
Pop icon Janet Jackson has sparked debate over Kamala Harris’ racial identity during a recent interview. While promoting her Together Again tour, which wraps up in Glasgow, Scotland on October 13, Jackson weighed in on the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election and stirred controversy with remarks about the Vice President.
When the conversation shifted to the possibility of America electing its first Black, female president, Jackson interrupted with a provocative statement. “Well, you know what they supposedly said?” she questioned. “She’s not Black, that’s what I heard. They say she’s Indian.” Jackson added, “I was told her father’s white. I haven’t watched the news in a few days, but that’s what I’ve been hearing.”
To clarify, Kamala Harris’ father, Donald J. Harris, is a Jamaican-American economist and professor, while her mother hails from India. Despite these facts, Jackson’s remarks highlight the ongoing conversations surrounding Harris’ identity as a woman of both Black and South Asian heritage.
When asked if she thought America was ready for a female president of color, Jackson expressed uncertainty. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “Honestly, I don’t want to answer that because I really don’t know. Either way, I think there will be mayhem.”
Jackson’s comments echo a sentiment that former President Donald Trump also hinted at earlier this year. At the National Association of Black Journalists convention in July, Trump cast doubt on Harris’ racial identity. “She was always promoting Indian heritage,” he claimed. “I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she suddenly turned Black.”
Both Jackson’s and Trump’s remarks have reignited the public debate on racial identity and politics, underscoring how Harris’ dual heritage continues to be a talking point as the 2024 election looms.