Childhood and Education Journey of Kamala Harris in Timeline

Discover the defining moments in the early life of Kamala Harris. From birth to education, explore key events.

Kamala Harris is an American politician and attorney. She served as the 49th Vice President of the United States from 2021 to 2025, under President Joe Biden, marking her as the first female, African-American, and Asian-American to hold the office. Previously, she was a United States Senator representing California from 2017 to 2021, and the Attorney General of California from 2011 to 2017. A prominent figure in the Democratic Party, she was also the party's nominee in the 2024 presidential election.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

1938: Birth of Kamala's parents

In 1938, both Kamala Harris's mother, Shyamala Gopalan, and her father, Donald J. Harris, were born. Shyamala was born in India, while Donald was born in Jamaica.

1958: Kamala's mother arrives in the US

In 1958, Shyamala Gopalan, Kamala Harris's mother, arrived in the United States from India to pursue graduate studies in endocrinology at the University of California, Berkeley.

1961: Kamala's father arrives in the US

In 1961, Donald J. Harris, Kamala Harris's father, immigrated to the United States from Jamaica and enrolled at UC Berkeley to study development economics.

October 20, 1964: Kamala Harris's birth

On October 20, 1964, Kamala Devi Harris was born. She is an American politician and attorney who served as the 49th vice president of the United States.

2009: Death of Kamala's mother

In 2009, Kamala Harris's mother, Shyamala Gopalan, passed away. She was a biologist known for her research on the progesterone receptor gene and its impact on breast cancer research.

2009: Harris Criticizes Liberals in her Book

In her 2009 book, Kamala Harris criticized liberals for what she called "biases against law enforcement".

2013: Harris Meets Doug Emhoff

In 2013, Kamala Harris met her husband, attorney Doug Emhoff, through a mutual friend who set them up on a blind date.

2013: Harris's Actions Regarding Prop 8

In 2013, after Prop 8 was struck down in Hollingsworth v. Perry, Kamala Harris, as California attorney general, ordered the Los Angeles County Clerk's office to start marriages immediately and officiated at the wedding of the plaintiffs.

August 22, 2014: Harris Marries Doug Emhoff

On August 22, 2014, Kamala Harris and Doug Emhoff married in Santa Barbara, California.

2015: EMILY's List Endorses Harris

In 2015, EMILY's List endorsed Kamala Harris during her senatorial campaign.

August 2017: The KHive was founded

In August 2017, the term "K-Hive" was first used by Joy Reid in a tweet, marking the beginning of an online informal organization supporting Kamala Harris's candidacy and defending her against attacks.

July 2018: Harris Introduces Gay and Trans Panic Defense Prohibition Act

In July 2018, Kamala Harris introduced the Gay and Trans Panic Defense Prohibition Act of 2018, a nationwide bill aimed at curtailing the effectiveness of gay and trans panic defenses.

December 2018: Harris Votes for First Step Act

In December 2018, Kamala Harris voted for the First Step Act, aimed at reducing recidivism rates among federal prisoners through job training and sentencing reforms.

October 2019: Harris Participates in Town Hall on LGBTQ Rights

In October 2019, Kamala Harris participated in a CNN/Human Rights Campaign town hall on LGBTQ rights, pledging support for equality and drawing attention to hate crimes against Black trans women.

March 2020: Harris Signs Letter on COVID-19 in Prisons

In March 2020, Kamala Harris was among senators who signed a letter requesting information on strategies to address the COVID-19 pandemic in federal and private prisons.

June 2020: Harris Supports LAPD Budget Cuts

In June 2020, Kamala Harris supported Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti's decision to cut the Los Angeles Police Department budget by $150 million.

2020: Harris's Ratings from Advocacy Groups

As of 2020, Kamala Harris had a 100% rating from Planned Parenthood Action Fund and a 0% rating from the National Right to Life Committee.

2020: Harris Supports Minnesota Freedom Fund

In 2020, Kamala Harris tweeted in support of donations to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, a bail fund assisting those arrested in the George Floyd protests.

2020: Comparison point for the 2024 presidential election

In 2024, All 50 states and DC trended rightward compared to the 2020 presidential election.

2021: Economic factors impacting Harris Loss

The loss of Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election was in part due to the 2021-2023 inflation surge.

April 2023: Biden Announces Reelection Campaign with Harris as Running Mate

In April 2023, President Joe Biden announced his reelection campaign, with Kamala Harris as his running mate, making them the presumptive nominees after the Democratic primaries.

November 2023: Harris Pledges Unconditional U.S. Aid to Israel

In November 2023, Kamala Harris pledged that the Biden administration would place no conditions on U.S. aid to Israel in its war with Hamas in Gaza.

2023: Viral Video Clip of Harris

In 2024, a video clip from 2023 went viral of Kamala Harris saying "You think you just fell out of a coconut tree? You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you" at a White House event.

2023: Economic factors impacting Harris Loss

The loss of Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election was in part due to the 2021-2023 inflation surge.

March 2024: Harris Criticizes Israel's Actions in Gaza

In March 2024, Kamala Harris criticized Israel's actions during the Israel–Hamas war, advocating for an immediate ceasefire of at least six weeks to facilitate hostage release and aid delivery.

July 21, 2024: Biden Endorses Harris for President

On July 21, 2024, Joe Biden suspended his reelection campaign and endorsed Kamala Harris for president. Her campaign raised $81 million in the first 24 hours. Had she won, Harris would have been the first female and first Asian-American president.

August 2024: Harris's Estimated Net Worth

As of August 2024, Kamala Harris and her husband had an estimated net worth of $8 million.

September 10, 2024: Presidential Debate between Harris and Trump

On September 10, 2024, ABC News hosted the presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump in Philadelphia. Analysts declared Harris the winner, highlighting her abortion rights stance and strong performance. Taylor Swift endorsed her afterwards.

2024: Harris Loses Presidential Election to Trump

In 2024, Kamala Harris lost the United States presidential election to Donald Trump, with losses in key states contributing to her defeat. The loss was influenced by a global backlash against incumbent parties and the 2021-2023 inflation surge.

2024: Biden-Harris Ticket Confirmed

In 2024, after the Democratic primaries, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris became the party's presumptive nominees in the presidential election. Concerns about Biden's age and health persisted.

2024: Harris Remarks Become Viral Memes

Since the launch of her 2024 presidential campaign, remarks made by Kamala Harris have been widely shared as memes, resulting in press coverage of her public image.

January 6, 2025: Harris Certifies Trump's Election Victory

On January 6, 2025, as president of the Senate, Kamala Harris oversaw the certification of Donald Trump and JD Vance as the winners of the election.

January 20, 2025: Harris Leaves Office

On January 20, 2025, Kamala Harris left office as Vice President, succeeded by JD Vance. She and her husband moved to Los Angeles, assisting with food distribution to victims of the Palisades Fire.