Harris’ inauguration marks the first time that either a woman, a Black American or an Asian American has become vice president of the US.

Born to Indian and Jamaican immigrant parents, she has called herself “a proud American” whose Black and Indian heritages “are of equal weight in terms of who I am”.

She is also the first vice president to graduate from a historically Black college or university, earning her degree at Washington’s Howard University in 1986. At the time Harris was chosen to join Biden’s ticket, Howard president Wayne A I Frederick called it an “extraordinary moment” that “represents a milestone opportunity for our democracy to acknowledge the leadership Black women have always exhibited”.

“When she governs as the first and last person in the room with Joe Biden, she’s going to bring all of those identities with her into those rooms,” said Glynda Carr, national director of Higher Heights, a political action committee focused on electing more Black women at state and federal levels. 

“But she is also a reminder of the fact that there are conscious and unconscious biases of women, and women of colour, and Black women,” Carr continued, speaking to HuffPost at the time of Harris’ election.

“And so when she during the debates said, ‘I’m speaking, I’m speaking’ – every woman, regardless of race and ethnicity, has been in a position where they saw and felt that, and that was a coalescing point for her.”