‘Black Ppl Have Been Doing This Forever’: Kamala Harris’ ‘New Accent’ Comes Under Fire as Supporters Race to Defend Her Code-Switching During Speech

Donald J. Trump and others continue to try and find ways to invalidate Vice President Kamala Harris’ blackness, pushing a narrative that she changes her accent whenever she is around certain people. This feeds into the former president’s statement that she “turned Black” in order to sway votes during the presidential election and to resonate with those who scrutinize Harris’ accent and demeanor when addressing different communities. Kamala Harris accused of changing her “accent” during the 2024 Congressional Black Caucus dinner. (Photo: AP Photo/Meg Kinnard, File) This criticism gained traction once again during the 2024 Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Foundation’s Phoenix Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, Sep. 14, where the Oakland native delivered remarks to a predominantly Black and brown audience. A viral clip of the Democratic presidential candidate’s greeting the audience with “Hello to all of my Divine Nine brothers and sisters, and my sorors.” Dressed in a blue sequined dress, Harris continued, filled with giggles, “And to all my HBCU brothers and sisters.” While the clip was short and did not record the response from the crowd, it also& ignited a storm on social media. Her lighthearted tone, signature laugh, and reference to historically Black colleges...