Tipsheet

Why Kamala Harris Is Being Accused of Lying Over Kwanzaa Post

Vice president-elect Kamala Harris was accused of lying after posting a Kwanzaa message claiming that she and her family celebrated the holiday growing up, despite the fact that she was born two years before it was invented by a violent, deranged felon

“You know, my sister and I, we grew up celebrating Kwanzaa,” she said in a video message. “Every year, our family would – and our extended family, we would gather around, across multiple generations, and we’d tell stories. The kids would sit on the carpet and the elders would sit in chairs, and we would light the candles, and of course, afterwards have a beautiful meal. And, of course, there was always the discussion of the seven principles. And my favorite, I have to tell you, was always the one about self-determination, kujichagulia.”

Harris continued: “And, you know, essentially it’s about be and do. Be the person you want to be, and do the things you want to do, and do the things that need to be done. It’s about not letting anyone write our future for us, but instead going out and writing it for ourselves. And that principle motivates me today, as we seek to confront the challenges facing our country and to build a brighter future for all Americans. So, to everyone who is celebrating, Happy Kwanzaa from our family to yours.”

That message raised eyebrows on Twitter, given that it was invented after she was born and that she is of Jamaican and Indian descent. 

Others reminded her about the founder's past.