Donald J. Harris, father of Vice President Kamala Harris, is a Jamaican-born American economist and professor emeritus at Stanford University. He was born in 1938 in Brown's Town, Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica, and came to the United States in 1961 to study economics at the University of California, Berkeley.
Donald J. Harris, father of Vice President Kamala Harris, is a Jamaican-born American economist and professor emeritus at Stanford University. He was born in 1938 in Brown's Town, Saint Ann Parish, Jamaica, and came to the United States in 1961 to study economics at the University of California, Berkeley.
Harris earned his Ph.D. in economics from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1966. He joined the faculty of Stanford University in 1966 and became a full professor in 1972. He served as chair of the Department of Economics from 1981 to 1983.
Donald J. Harris: The Father of Vice President Kamala Harris
Harris's research interests include economic development, poverty, and inequality. He has published extensively in these areas, including his book, "The Economics of Development: A Third World Perspective" (1982).
Harris is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He has served on the boards of several organizations, including the Economic Development Institute of the World Bank and the Center for Global Development.
Harris is married to Shyamala Gopalan Harris, a cancer researcher who died in 2009. They had two daughters, Kamala and Maya.
Kamala Harris has often spoken about the influence of her father on her life. In her memoir, "The Truths We Hold" (2019), she wrote: "My father taught me the importance of education, of hard work, and of service to others."
Harris is a proud Jamaican-American. He has said that his experiences in Jamaica shaped his views on economics and development. In a 2018 interview, he said: "I grew up in a country where poverty was rampant and opportunities were scarce. I saw firsthand how economics can be used to improve people's lives."
Harris is a respected economist and a devoted father. He has made significant contributions to the field of economics and has been a strong supporter of his daughter's career in public service.
