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Updated 15:47 IST, July 22nd 2024

How Howard University Paved Kamala Harris' Path to Political Success

Kamala Harris has a rich and diverse educational background that has significantly shaped her career and achievements. Born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland.

Reported by: Nandini Verma
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Kamala Harris
Kamala Harris | Image: AP

Washington DC: Kamala Harris, the Vice President of the United States, has been endorsed by US President Joe Biden, as the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. Let's take a look at her educational background. 

Kamala Harris has a rich and diverse educational background that has significantly shaped her career and achievements. Born on October 20, 1964, in Oakland, California, to immigrant parents, Harris's early education and formative years were marked by a series of notable experiences and institutions.

Kamala Harris Education 

Harris began her education at Thousand Oaks Elementary School in California. When she was 12 years old, her mother, Shyamala Gopalan Harris, a cancer researcher, moved the family to Montreal, Canada, where she began research work at the Jewish General Hospital and taught at McGill University. In Montreal, Kamala and her younger sister Maya first attended Notre-Dame-des-Neiges school on Côte-des-Neiges Road, where they learned French as their mother wanted them to be bilingual. Kamala then attended Westmount High School, graduating in 1981.

From Howard University To University of California

Following high school, Harris returned to the United States to attend Howard University in Washington, D.C., one of the most prestigious historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). At Howard, she majored in political science and economics and joined the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. Her time at Howard was instrumental in developing her leadership skills and political acumen.

After graduating from Howard, Harris pursued her law degree at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. Upon completing her law degree, she embarked on a career in public service, starting as a deputy district attorney in the Alameda County District Attorney's Office. Her career in law and public service continued to ascend, and in 2003, she was elected as the District Attorney of the City and County of San Francisco.

On January 20, 2021, Kamala D. Harris made history as the first woman, the first African American woman, the first Indian-American, and the first person of Asian-American descent to be sworn in as the Vice President of the United States. She is also the first graduate of an HBCU to hold this office, a testament to the pivotal role her education played in her journey.

Published 15:47 IST, July 22nd 2024