Kamala Harris' great-great-great-great grandfather was 'notorious' Irish slave owner who bought Jamaican plantation and travelled to London to fight abolition, historian claims

Kamala Harris is descended from an proprietor of 120-plus slaves who ran a Jamaican plantation and fought against nan abolition of nan abhorrent trade, a British historiographer claimed today.

The Democrat would-be President is of Indian and Afro-Jamaican descent pinch her precocious mother, Shyamala Gopalan, calved successful Madras, now Chennai, while her father, Donald Harris, is from Jamaica.

The Vice-President's father, a Stanford University world who is 85, was calved successful Brown's Town connected nan Caribbean land – named aft Hamilton Brown, who is believed to beryllium Kamala's slave-owning great-great-great-great grandfather.

In an article published by nan Jamaica Globe successful 2019, Kamala's begetter Professor Harris wrote: 'My roots spell back, wrong my lifetime, to my paternal grandma Miss Chrishy (née Christiana Brown) descendant of Hamilton Brown who is connected grounds arsenic plantation and enslaved proprietor and laminitis of Brown's Town, a municipality successful Jamaica.'

Northern Irish historiographer Stephen McCracken said coming that Brown was a 'notorious' slaver and 'not bully fellow' who was calved successful Antrim but later settled successful Jamaica. 

'I really thought this was going to beryllium a bully story, for illustration (former US presidents) McKinley, Nixon, Jackson, Roosevelt, each of whom person links to Antrim, but it wasn’t', he said. 

Brown travelled to London to protestation against nan abolition of slavery and past turned his attraction to Irish migrants erstwhile he was nary longer allowed to enslave Africans, Mr McCracken told nan Belfast Telegraph.

Mr McCracken has examined Kamala’s UK roots aft it was discovered she has ancestry successful Co Antrim done Hamilton Brown.

'Hamilton Brown was a notorious figure, and not a bully fellow,' he said.

'Hamilton was calved successful Antrim, conscionable northbound of Ballymoney, earlier he moved to Jamaica arsenic a teenager. That's wherever he became a bookmaker, and past a plantation owner, and truthful a enslaved owner.

'His gravestone is successful Saint Ann successful Jamaica, which lists his birthplace arsenic Antrim.

'He had galore slaves, successful truth Hamilton Brown routinely travelled backmost and distant to London to protestation nan abolishment of slavery. 

'He would travel backmost to Ireland to return migrants backmost to Jamaica to activity erstwhile slavery was abolished. A quote refers to him arsenic "making slaves of migrants" successful Ireland.'

In 2019, it was reported that Brown owned astatine slightest 121 slaves successful 1826.

Kamala is not believed to person spoken publically astir these roots, which return her each nan measurement backmost to nan UK. Reuters truth checkers person said that Kamala is apt to beryllium a descendant of some slaves and enslaved owners.

It is not uncommon for African Americans aliases group of Caribbean practice to beryllium descended from a enslaved owners. This is because it was communal for enslaved masters to rape their female slaves.

If Kamala manages to hit Donald Trump and is elected successful November, Kamala will go nan latest US president to person links to Ireland.

Mr Biden is very proud of his ain Irish heritage, pinch links to Mayo and Louth.

'Hamilton was calved successful Antrim, conscionable northbound of Ballymoney, earlier he moved to Jamaica arsenic a teenager. That's wherever he became a bookmaker, and past a plantation owner, and truthful a enslaved owner.

'His gravestone is successful Saint Ann successful Jamaica, which lists his birthplace arsenic Antrim.

'He had galore slaves, successful truth Hamilton Brown routinely travelled backmost and distant to London to protestation nan abolishment of slavery'.

He told nan Belfast Telegraph: 'He would travel backmost to Ireland to return migrants backmost to Jamaica to activity erstwhile slavery was abolished. A quote refers to him arsenic "making slaves of migrants" successful Ireland.'

In 2019, it was reported that Brown owned astatine slightest 121 slaves successful 1826, respectively.

Kamala is not believed to person spoken publically astir these roots, which return her each nan measurement backmost to nan UK. Reuters truth checkers person said that Kamala is apt to beryllium a descendant of some slaves and enslaved owners.

Kamala's ain communicative is arsenic extraordinary. She roseate to Vice-President aft being California's lawyer wide and a US legislator having primitively been a section charismatic successful Alameda County, California, successful nan early 1990s. 

Just for illustration her leader Joe Biden, Kamala Harris is also known for gaffes and 'word salad' speeches.

From describing AI as a 'kind of a fancy thing' that is 'first of each 2 letters' to a caller baffling blunder wherever she called nan 2024 election 'the astir predetermination of our lifetime', nan vice-president's abilities arsenic an orator person agelong been successful question.

She besides erstwhile confused North and South Korea, mistakenly said 220million Americans died of Covid-19 and joked that group aged betwixt 18 and 24 are 'really stupid'. 

And nan 59-year-old besides has a estimation for severely misjudging a societal business and laughing astatine nan incorrect moment, including erstwhile once she was asked a mobility astir nan destiny of hopeless Ukrainian refugees.

Ms Harris is happily joined to LA lawyer Doug Emhoff but location are besides claims that her matter pinch flamboyant California Democrat and San Francisco's first achromatic politician Willie Brown successful nan 1990s - erstwhile he was 61 and she was 31 - besides gave nan statesmanlike hopeful's profession nan boost she needed to get to wherever she is today. 

'Yes, I whitethorn person influenced her profession by appointing her to 2 authorities commissions erstwhile I was Assembly speaker. And I surely helped pinch her first title for territory lawyer successful San Francisco', Brown said successful 2019 astatine nan ripe property of 86. 

In 2001 she concisely dated American talk show big Montel Williams.  Today he didn't endorse Kamala Harris for President aft Mr Biden dropped out. Instead he backed Wes Moore, who has since endorsed Vice President Harris.

But earlier he swapped The Apprentice for politics, just complete a decade ago Donald Trump himself donated thousands of dollars to Kamala's re-election run while she was California's lawyer general. 

Now nan Republican nominee insists she will beryllium moreover easier to conclusion than Joe Biden, declaring: 'She's truthful f***ing bad. She's truthful pathetic'. He has besides called her 'as crazy arsenic a furniture bug' and has fixed her nan nickname: 'Laffin' Kamala Harris'.

Ms Harris, whose left-wing authorities were forged by her mother and clip astatine nan alleged 'black Harvard' successful Washington DC, has been astatine Mr Biden's broadside since he was elected successful 2020 - and aft his determination to cull nan antiauthoritarian information she is now aiming to go nan first achromatic female to caput a awesome party's US statesmanlike ticket. 

The cardinal mobility for Democrats coming is whether she is the female to hit Trump successful November - aliases whether aft her gaffes and nationalist speaking struggles she is nan liability her rival and his supporters opportunity she is. 

Kamala was instantly endorsed by President Joe Biden after he sensationally withdrew from nan 2024 statesmanlike title connected Sunday. And wrong minutes of his connection released a run video bringing nan conflict to Trump. 

The Clintons person said they will springiness their 'full endorsement' to Kamala Harris - but nan Obamas are yet to determine publicly. 

Ms Harris is viewed arsenic a combatant by her supporters.

Describing her ain cognition to life she erstwhile said: 'Sometimes group will unfastened nan doorway for you and time off it open, and sometimes they won't— and past you request to footwear that f***ing doorway down'. 

But she whitethorn look a conflict from rivals, including her aged friend Gavin Newsom, nan Governor of California.

According to Betfair Exchange, Kamala Harris is now 12/5 to triumph November's Presidential Election. Back successful February her likelihood to triumph nan Presidency were arsenic large arsenic 100/1. Donald Trump has been nan dense favourite since April and earlier this week he was arsenic short arsenic 4/7 to triumph successful November, nevertheless since nan news that Biden is to step down from nan race, his likelihood person drifted somewhat to 4/6.

Kamala was calved October 20, 1964, successful Oakland, California, to parents who met arsenic civilian authorities activists.

Her location municipality and adjacent Berkeley were astatine nan bosom of nan group and societal justness movements of nan time, and Ms Harris was some a merchandise and a beneficiary.

She said often astir attending demonstrations successful a stroller and increasing up astir adults 'who spent afloat clip marching and shouting astir this point called justice'. In first grade, she was bused to schoolhouse arsenic portion of nan 2nd people to merge into Berkeley's nationalist education.

Ms Harris has been hailed by supporters arsenic a trailblazer.

The girl of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, she roseate from section charismatic to California's lawyer wide earlier becoming a US senator.

Kamala's mother Shyamala died successful 2009 aged 70. Her begetter Donald, an academic, is 85.

Harris' sister, Maya, is simply a lawyer and MSNBC governmental expert while her brother-in-law, Tony West, is wide counsel of Uber.

Kamala, a stepmother-of-two, made history successful 2020 by becoming nan first black, Asian, and female Vice President.

Critics, however, person attacked her mediocre nationalist speaking skills.

And immoderate polls person shown her to beryllium little celebrated than Mr Biden successful nan captious plaything states that are apt to settee nan election.

One caller canvass gave Ms Harris a 29 per cent favourability rating, pinch 49 per cent standing her unfavourably.

Her opponents reason that letting her tally for precocious agency would magnitude to admitting defeat. As a result, challengers to a Harris information are bound to travel forward.

Ms Harris's parents divided erstwhile she was young, and she was raised by her mother alongside her younger sister, Maya. 

She attended Howard University, a historically achromatic assemblage successful Washington, and joined nan Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, which became a root of sisterhood and governmental support complete nan years.

After graduating, Ms Harris returned to nan San Francisco Bay Area for rule schoolhouse and chose a profession arsenic a prosecutor, a move that amazed her activistic family.

She said she believed that moving for alteration wrong nan strategy was conscionable arsenic important arsenic agitating from outside. By 2003, she was moving for her first governmental office, taking connected nan longtime San Francisco territory attorney.

Few metropolis residents knew her name, and Ms Harris group up an ironing committee arsenic a array extracurricular market stores to meet people. She won and quickly showed a willingness to floor plan her ain path.

Months into her tenure, Ms Harris declined to seek nan decease punishment for nan slayer of a young constabulary serviceman killed successful nan statement of duty, fraying her narration pinch metropolis police.

The section did not extremity her governmental ascent. In precocious 2007, while still serving arsenic territory attorney, she was knocking connected doors successful Iowa for then-candidate Barack Obama.

After he became president, Mr Obama endorsed her successful her 2010 title for California lawyer general.

Once elected to statewide office, she pledged to uphold nan decease punishment contempt her civilized guidance to it. She refused to take sides Proposition 8, a voter-backed inaugural banning same-sex marriage.

Ms Harris besides played a cardinal domiciled successful a 25 billion-dollar (£19.3 billion) colony pinch nan nation's owe lenders pursuing nan foreclosure crisis.

As killings of young achromatic men by constabulary received much attention, Ms Harris implemented immoderate changes, including search group information successful constabulary stops, but did not prosecute much fierce measures specified arsenic requiring independent prosecutors to analyse constabulary shootings.

Ms Harris's grounds arsenic a charismatic would canine her erstwhile she launched a statesmanlike bid successful 2019, arsenic immoderate progressives and younger voters demanded swifter change.

But during her clip connected nan job, she besides forged a fortuitous narration pinch Beau Biden, Joe Biden's boy who was past Delaware's lawyer general. Beau Biden died of encephalon crab successful 2015, and his relationship pinch Ms Harris figured heavy years later arsenic his begetter chose Ms Harris to beryllium his moving mate.

Ms Harris joined intermezo lawyer Douglas Emhoff successful 2014, and she became stepmother to Emhoff's 2 children, Ella and Cole, who referred to her arsenic 'Momala'.

Ms Harris had a uncommon opportunity to advance politically erstwhile Senator Barbara Boxer, who had served for much than 2 decades, announced she would not tally again successful 2016.

In office, Ms Harris quickly became portion of nan Democratic guidance to Donald Trump and gained nickname for her pointed questioning of his nominees.

In 1 memorable moment, she pressed now-Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh connected whether he knew immoderate laws that gave authorities nan powerfulness to modulate a man's body. He did not, and nan statement of questioning galvanised women and abortion authorities activists.

A small much than 2 years aft becoming a senator, Ms Harris announced her run for nan 2020 Democratic statesmanlike nomination. But her run was marred by infighting and she grounded to summation traction, yet dropping retired earlier nan Iowa caucuses.

Eight months later, Mr Biden selected Ms Harris arsenic his moving mate. As he introduced her to nan nation, Mr Biden reflected connected what her information meant for 'little achromatic and brownish girls who truthful often consciousness overlooked and undervalued successful their communities'.

'Today, conscionable maybe, they're seeing themselves for nan first clip successful a caller way, arsenic nan worldly of presidents and vice presidents,' he said.

Once successful nan job, Ms Harris worked to stem migration from Central America, but her efforts did not extremity nan activity of group leaving their corrupt and impoverished countries to activity information and prosperity successful nan US.

Nor was location overmuch advancement to beryllium made connected voting rights, different rumor that was portion of Ms Harris' portfolio. When Republicans constricted ballot entree successful various states, Democrats lacked nan basal musculus successful Congress to push backmost astatine nan nationalist level.

Ms Harris yet carved retired a domiciled arsenic nan administration's astir outspoken advocator for reproductive authorities aft nan US Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, nan landmark lawsuit that had guaranteed abortion entree nationwide.

Much of Ms Harris's activity has focused connected bolstering her party's conjugation of women, young group and voters of colour. And successful halls of powerfulness dominated by men - some successful Washington and astir nan world - she has remained keenly alert of her position arsenic a governmental pioneer.

She often repeated a statement she credited to her mother: 'Kamala, you whitethorn beryllium nan first to do galore things, but make judge you're not nan last.'

Ms Harris past nighttime vowed to 'earn and win' nan Democratic statesmanlike information aft being endorsed by Joe Biden arsenic his successor.

The Vice President, 59, thanked Mr Biden for his 'extraordinary leadership' and for making a 'selfless and patriotic act' by stepping speech from nan title for nan White House.

Ms Harris said: 'I americium honoured to person nan President's endorsement, and my volition is to gain and triumph this nomination. I will do everything successful my powerfulness to merge nan Democratic Party – and merge our federation – to conclusion Donald Trump and his utmost Project 2025 agenda.

'We person 107 days until predetermination day. Together, we will fight. And together, we will win.'

After revealing that he was not accepting nan Democratic nomination, Mr Biden, 81, posted connected X: 'My very first determination arsenic nan statement nominee successful 2020 was to prime Kamala Harris arsenic my Vice President. And it's been nan champion determination I've made.

'Today I want to connection my afloat support and endorsement for Kamala to beryllium nan nominee of our statement this year. Democrats – it's clip to travel together and hit Trump. Let's do this.'

Full-scale soul Democratic predetermination processes cannot return spot arsenic Mr Biden has already been chosen arsenic nan candidate, truthful contenders will person to put themselves guardant astatine nan Democratic National Convention successful Chicago adjacent month.

If elected, Ms Harris's hubby Doug Emhoff, who is Jewish, would go America's first ever First Gentleman, aft 2 and a half hundreds of years of First Ladies. Michelle Obama, woman of erstwhile President Barack Obama, has been touted by immoderate arsenic a imaginable statesmanlike hopeful. 

Mrs Obama has fixed nary denotation she would see seeking nationalist office. Neither has Hollywood character George Clooney, different imagination prime for nan role, who is simply a salient fundraiser and philanthropist to nan Democratic Party.

Other Democratic contenders see Gretchen Whitmer, nan politician of Michigan; California politician Gavin Newsom, Pennsylvania politician Josh Shapiro, and Transport Secretary Pete Buttigieg.