Vice President Kamala Harris faced online criticism after being accused of adopting a “new accent” while addressing the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 2024 Phoenix Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C.
During her speech on Saturday night, Harris greeted attendees with, “Hello to all of my Divine Nine brothers and sisters, and to all my HBCU brothers and sisters.” The comment, referencing historically Black sororities and fraternities and her own membership in a Black sorority at Howard University, was shared widely on social media, sparking reactions from users who claimed Harris was using a different accent.
The account “End Wokeness” shared the video clip on X, captioning it: “BREAKING: Kamala Harris unveils a new accent at the Black Caucus Dinner.” One user, Paul A. Szypula, with over 232,700 followers, responded, “New? Or is it her old fake black accent? Either way, it’s incredibly insulting to black people. Shame on Kamala.”
Another user, Collin Rugg, with 1.4 million followers, added, “Kamala has brought out this new accent throughout the campaign at different times.” Columnist James Hirsen also chimed in, calling it “Kamala Harris accent du jour” to his 270,500 followers.
This isn’t the first time Harris has been criticized for varying accents. Earlier in the month, side-by-side videos of Harris speaking at events in Detroit and Pittsburgh on the same day appeared to show her using different tones or accents. This led to Fox News’ Peter Doocy questioning White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on the matter. “Since when does the vice president have what sounds like a southern accent?” Doocy asked.
Jean-Pierre dismissed the question, replying, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” She then shifted focus, stating that Americans care more about issues like the economy, healthcare, and lowering costs than the vice president’s speaking style.
Harris’ speech at the Congressional Black Caucus dinner was part of her efforts to connect with Black voters. President Joe Biden, who spoke before her, praised Harris as the first Black and South Asian woman to serve as vice president and expressed his hope that she could one day become the first female president of the United States.
Harris will continue to engage with the Black community in the coming days. She is scheduled to meet with members of the National Association of Black Journalists in Philadelphia on Tuesday. Later in the week, she will attend a livestreamed rally headlined by Oprah Winfrey, which includes groups like “Win with Black Women” and “South Asians for Harris,” according to the Associated Press.
