Race is a key factor in the 2024 presidential election

“I don’t know, is she Indian or is she Black?” Referring to Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald Trump made this statement at the National Association of Black Journalists. Statements like this one, and others, have made race and racism dominant themes over the last several election cycles, and 2024 has continued that trend, with some important nuances associated with the Democratic presidential nomination of Vice President Harris. At a webinar taking place on Friday, October 11, 2024 from 1:00-2:00pm EDT, we draw attention to why comments like this matter, how they may influence voters, and the broader socio-historical implications for politics in America.    Race is traditionally a factor in presidential elections in the United States. Trump knows this and uses race as a means of dividing the country. Accordingly, he injected race into the campaign almost immediately following Harris’ emergence as the Democratic nominee, calling into question her racial identity. Trump said, “I didn’t know she was Black until a number of years ago when she happened to turn Black and now, she wants to be known as Black.” He added that “she was Indian all the way, and then all of a sudden she made a turn...