Donald Harris: The Absentee Father of Vice President Kamala Harris

As Vice President Kamala Harris accepts the Democratic presidential nomination, many family members are expected to support her from the stands. This group includes her husband, Doug Emhoff, her stepchildren, and her sister, Maya Harris. However, it remains uncertain whether her father, Donald J. Harris, will be present in Chicago for the event.

Donald Harris, the only living parent of Kamala, is an economist and a retired professor from Stanford University. He was born in Jamaica and moved to the United States to pursue a doctorate at the University of California, Berkeley. At Berkeley, he met Shyamala Gopalan, Kamala’s mother. The couple had two daughters, Kamala and Maya, but subsequently divorced.

Following the divorce, Shyamala Gopalan gained primary custody of the children. Despite this, Donald maintained contact with Kamala and Maya during weekends and summers. In her memoir, «The Truths We Hold», Kamala mentioned that had they been older and more emotionally mature, the arrangement might have been different.

Donald Harris’s economic views are often influenced by Marxist theory. He has worked as an economic advisor to Jamaica, contributing to discussions on economic policy in his home country. Despite being a notable figure in economics, Donald has largely remained absent from his daughter’s political life.

Throughout the current Democratic National Convention (DNC), where Kamala Harris accepts her nomination, Donald has not made any appearances. He also did not participate publicly during her vice presidential campaign in 2020. His last significant comment came in 2019 when he expressed concern about Kamala’s remarks on marijuana usage, which he felt painted their family in an unfavorable light.

Kamala had responded to a question regarding past marijuana use by mentioning her Jamaican heritage. In response, Donald stated that his family wished to dissociate from what he perceived as a stereotype associated with their cultural identity.

Despite ending his academic career at Stanford University, Donald also held an associate professor position at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The Harris family resided in Madison when Kamala was between three to five years old. During this time, Donald worked at the university while Shyamala conducted cancer research.

In her memoir, Kamala cites the family’s move to Madison as a significant reason for her parents’ eventual separation.