In a recent interview, Janet Jackson controversially questioned the racial identity of Vice President Kamala Harris, aligning her views with past comments made by former President Donald Trump, Mail Online reported.
Janet Jackson, the 58-year-old music icon, made headlines following her interview with The Guardian, where she questioned Vice President Kamala Harris's racial background. Jackson claimed, according to what she had heard, that Harris was not Black and that her father was White. This statement has ignited discussions and debates about the accuracy and impact of her comments on public discourse regarding race.
In truth, Kamala Harris, who is a year older than Jackson, was born to a Black Jamaican father and an Indian-born mother. Her father, Donald J. Harris, is a black economics professor, now emeritus at Stanford University, and her mother, Shyamala Gopalan, was a cancer researcher from India. Harris frequently speaks about her proud biracial heritage, which includes her influential mother who passed away in 2009, and her father's deep academic roots in Jamaica and the United States.
Jackson, in her interview, admitted she hadn't been following the news closely but shared what she had been told about Harris's racial identity. The conversation brought to light Jackson's detachment from current events, as her statements contradicted public records and widely known facts about Harris's heritage, which include her upbringing in a multiracial family and her self-identification as both Black and Indian-American.
This is not the first time public figures have made claims about Harris's racial identity. Former President Donald Trump, in a July event with the National Association of Black Journalists in Chicago, insinuated that Harris had only recently chosen to identify as Black, even though she had previously celebrated her Indian heritage. Trump's statements, mirroring Jackson's recent claims, drew criticism for similarly questioning Harris's racial identity without basis.
Trump expanded on his comments in subsequent interviews, suggesting Harris's racial identification may warrant further scrutiny. He repeatedly expressed his indifference towards her race, stating that whatever identity she chose was acceptable to him, but his remarks were perceived as attempting to sow doubt and division.
In response to Trump's comments, Vice President Harris criticized his focus on divisiveness, without directly engaging the specifics of his statements about her race. Her response highlighted the often contentious nature of public discussions about race and identity in political contexts.
The discussion around Jackson's and Trump's comments on Harris's race highlights a recurring theme where public figures' racial identities face scrutiny. Janet Jackson’s family has also encountered similar attention, particularly her late brother, Michael Jackson, whose skin condition, vitiligo, intensified public focus on his race.
These incidents reflect ongoing curiosity and controversy about the racial identities of public figures, revealing deeper issues of race perception and identity politics in America.
In summary, Janet Jackson's recent comments about Kamala Harris's race, echoing earlier remarks by Donald Trump, sparked media attention, highlighting the complexities of racial identity in public life and its impact on political and social conversations.
