As most Americans celebrated Christmas, Vice President Kamala Harris wrote about her childhood memories from a different holiday. However, many social media users questioned the legitimacy of her claims.
“Our Kwanzaa celebrations are some of my favorite childhood memories,” Harris said Sunday on Twitter.
“As families across the United States light the red, black, and green candles of the Kinara this week, our family sends our wishes and blessings for a happy and healthy new year,” she said.
Our Kwanzaa celebrations are some of my favorite childhood memories.
As families across the United States light the red, black, and green candles of the Kinara this week, our family sends our wishes and blessings for a happy and healthy new year.
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) December 26, 2021
An array of comments under the tweet questioned whether Harris actually had a childhood connection to a holiday that was created less than 60 years ago.
“Sounds so nice,” one user said in a seemingly sarcastic response. “You should post pics from your childhood Kwanzaa celebrations, as an encouragement to the community today!”
Sounds so nice. You should post pics from your childhood Kwanzaa celebrations, as an encouragement to the community today!
— Dan Reid (@Gage26233012) December 26, 2021
“Stop you never celebrated that made up holiday,” another user said.
Stop you never celebrated that made up holiday
— human (@humanhuman321) December 26, 2021
Philosopher and author Peter Boghossian said simply, “I do not believe you.”
I do not believe you.
— Peter Boghossian (@peterboghossian) December 27, 2021
Harris posted a similar Kwanzaa message last holiday season. Notably, it started with the exact same sentence as this year’s tweet.
Our Kwanzaa celebrations are one of my favorite childhood memories. The whole family would gather around across multiple generations and we’d tell stories and light the candles.
Whether you’re celebrating this year with those you live with or over Zoom, happy Kwanzaa! pic.twitter.com/21bzGHZpYe
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) December 26, 2020
In the video that accompanied the message, she said her family “would gather around across multiple generations” to celebrate the holiday.
However, Harris was born in 1964, while Kwanzaa did not exist until 1966. African studies professor Maulana Karenga created it to “give blacks an alternative to the existing holiday of Christmas and give blacks an opportunity to celebrate themselves and their history, rather than simply imitate the practice of the dominant society.”
So while it may be true that Harris’ parents and grandparents gathered for the holiday, their connection to the celebration would have been short-lived at the time.
Conservative commentator Matt Walsh questioned whether Harris could have “a deep childhood attachment to a holiday that didn’t exist when she was born.”
Somehow I find it hard to believe that she has a deep childhood attachment to a holiday that didn’t exist when she was born https://t.co/037S09KqxP
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) December 27, 2020
Despite the doubts of many Americans, Harris has continued to tout her connection to Kwanzaa. So far, it does not seem to have positively affected her image in the way she might have hoped.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.