‘Making history’: Kamala Harris becomes first Black woman to lead major-party ticket

CHICAGO — Kamala Harris is officially the first Black and South Asian woman to lead a major-party ticket after formally accepting the Democratic party’s nomination Thursday.

If elected, she would become the first female U.S. president.

The history-making final night of the convention saw the vice-president give her keynote speech in front of a sea of supporters dressed in suffragette white — symbolizing when American women secured the right to vote in 1920.

“I am so inspired. I am so hopeful. I just feel wonderful,” said Satin Arnett from Washington State.

“I feel like this is a chance of a lifetime. We are making history. I never thought that I would see this in my life, being a woman of colour.”

While the white garments Thursday were reminiscent of Hillary Clinton’s iconic suit in 2016, when she accepted the Democratic party’s presidential nomination, supporters say Thursday’s moment rang differently and America has changed.

During Clinton’s campaign, there was outrage around Trump’s comments about women and the Democratic candidate. But he was still able to pull in significant support from women.

Clinton, in her speech at the convention Monday, said after her loss “we refused to give up on America. Millions marched, many ran for office, we kept our eyes on the future.”

“Well, my friends, the future is here.”

In 2020, after Trump’s four-year tenure, many women voters — particularly white women with college degrees — put their support behind President Joe Biden, helping him to clinch the White House.

But this year the president was struggling to hold onto apathetic voters exhausted by the thought of revisiting the Trump-Biden faceoff.

Since Biden removed himself from the presidential run, the polls have begun to move in the Democrats’ favour. Experts have said the biggest swings for Harris have come among women.

The four-day convention in Chicago built on that immense swell of excitement. Speakers told cheering supporters about Harris’s upbringing, accomplishments and her laughter. Democrats leaned into the idea of “joy,” which the party has adopted since Harris took the helm.

Rumours, which proved to be untrue, swirled Beyoncé might perform at the convention. But major celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, Kerry Washington and Mindy Kaling put their support behind the vice-president.

Civil rights leader Al Sharpton told the convention that he was a youth director for former Rep. Shirley Chisholm’s 1972 Democratic primary. Chisholm, who was Black, died in 2005.

“I know she’s watching us tonight as a Black woman stands up to accept the nomination for president of the United States,” Sharpton said during his speech.

Harris herself has largely stayed away from leaning into her identity. Instead talking authoritatively about issues such as reproductive rights and equality for all.

But supporters say she doesn’t have to address it. The historical moment is clear.

“As a woman who really supports women this is a monumentous moment,” said Natasha Hampton from Ohio.

Matthew Lebo, a specialist in U.S. politics at Western University in London, Ont., said Democrats have done a very good job at maximizing the momentum.

But, he said, Clinton was also leading in the polls ahead of the 2016 election. Despite receiving nearly 2.9 million more votes than Trump, she lost the Electoral College.

“They need the people in that room, and the activists and campaign workers watching, to work all the way through the election,” Lebo said.

Barbara Sharief, the Democratic nominee for Florida Senate, said seeing Harris on the ticket will inspire people, especially women, to mobilize.

“What I think that Kamala Harris represents for our young girls out there is that you can aspire and reach to the highest office of the land,” Sharief said.

“I never thought I would see this in my lifetime and here we are today witnessing history.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 23, 2024.

— With files from The Associated Press

Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press