• Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United

WHERE BLACK CULTURE, COMMUNITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS MEET

Sign up for ESSENCE Newsletters the keep the Black women at the forefront of conversation.

Your email is required.
Your email is in invalid format.
Confirm email is required.
Email did not match.
Select the newsletters you'd like to receive:
Please select at least one option.
By clicking Subscribe Now, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Skip to content
SUBSCRIBE
  • MAGAZINE
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Celebrity
    • Of The Essence
    • Celebrity News
    • If Not For My Girls
    • The State Of R&B
    • Time Of Essence
  • Fashion
    • 2023 Best In Black Fashion Awards
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • Red Carpet
    • Fashion News
    • Accessories
  • Beauty
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • 2023 Best In Black Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Nails
    • Hair
      • Hair News
      • Natural
      • Relaxed
      • Transitioning
      • Weave
      • 4C
  • Lifestyle
    • Love
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
    • Bridal Bliss
    • Lifestyle News
    • Health & Wellness
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
  • Entrepreneurship
    • Money & Career
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Paint The Polls Black
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Shopping
  • Video
  • Events
    • 2023 Fashion House
    • 2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture
    • 2023 Wellness House
    • 2023 Black Women In Hollywood
    • 2023 ESSENCE Film Festival
    • 2023 HOLLYWOOD HOUSE
  • Studios
  • Girls United
Home · News

13 Beautiful Photos Of Kamala Harris & The Women Who Held Her High On Her Journey To History

In celebration of her historic win, here's a look back at Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris and the circle of fearless women she comes from.
13 Beautiful Photos Of Kamala Harris & The Women Who Held Her High On Her Journey To History
By Rachaell Davis, Nia Lawrence · Updated December 6, 2020

The election of 56-year-old Oakland native, proud HBCU graduate and U.S. Senator Kamala Harris to the office of Vice President-elect has given many Americans a renewed sense of pride in the country’s highest office. Since the long-awaited announcement of President-elect Joe Biden’s victory over current “President” Donald Trump to claim the oval office with Harris as his right hand, people have continued celebrating in cities nationwide.

Article continues after video.

One of the most endearing parts of Harris’ story is the richly diverse and close-knit family of fearless women of color from which she comes. Long before she made history and reaffirmed what’s possible for little Black and Brown girls everywhere, she herself was a little girl with big dreams growing up alongside her sister with her beloved mother as her guiding light.

As we continue to celebrate this monumentous occasion, here’s a look back at Vice President-elect Kamala Harris’ journey to history and the support circle of women who held her high along the way.

01
Kamala Harris with Her Mother
13 Beautiful Photos Of Kamala Harris & The Women Who Held Her High On Her Journey To History
02
Kamala Harris (left) pictured with sister Maya and Mother Shymala
My mother was very intentional about raising my sister, Maya, and me as strong, Black women. She coupled her teachings of civic duty and fearlessness with actions, which included taking us on Thursday nights to Rainbow Sign, a Black cultural center near our home.

There we were always greeted with warm hugs and exposed to extraordinary people like Shirley Chisholm, Nina Simone, and Maya Angelou who helped show us what we could become. This Black History Month, I want to lift up my mother and the community at Rainbow Sign who taught us anything was possible, unburdened by what has been.

13 Beautiful Photos Of Kamala Harris & The Women Who Held Her High On Her Journey To History
03
Kamala Harris and her sister Maya in 1970 (Courtesy of Kamala Harris)
Kamala Harris and her sister Maya in 1970. – Mercury Times
13 Beautiful Photos Of Kamala Harris & The Women Who Held Her High On Her Journey To History
04
Kamala Harris
Harris tweeted this photo of her as a child after referencing it during a Democratic debate in June 2019. During the debate, she confronted Joe Biden over his opposition many years ago to the federal government mandating busing to integrate schools. “There was a little girl in California who was bussed to school,” she tweeted. “That little girl was me.” – CNN
13 Beautiful Photos Of Kamala Harris & The Women Who Held Her High On Her Journey To History
05
Kamala Harris at Her Mother Shyamala’s Laboratory at UC Berkeley
A young Kamala Harris at her mother Shyamala’s laboratory at UC Berkeley. – LA Times (Courtesy of Kamala Harris)
13 Beautiful Photos Of Kamala Harris & The Women Who Held Her High On Her Journey To History
06
Shelley Young-Thompkins, Kimberly Higgs Hood and Kamala Harris
Shelley Young-Thompkins befriended Kamala Harris during her freshman year at Howard University – ABC News
13 Beautiful Photos Of Kamala Harris & The Women Who Held Her High On Her Journey To History
07
Kamala Harris
Happy first day of school, Bison! As this new school year starts, be sure to aim high and make the climb — you never know what you can achieve until you try.

At Howard University, you can come as you are and leave as the person you aspire to be. Your Bison family will be with you every step. – Kamala Harris’ Facebook page

13 Beautiful Photos Of Kamala Harris & The Women Who Held Her High On Her Journey To History
08
Kamala Harris in Alpha Kappa Alpha at Howard University
In 1986, Kamala Harris and 37 other women were initiated into Alpha Kappa Alpha at Howard University. ABC7 spoke to her line sisters about Harris’s history-making moment on Wednesday. – ABC; Courtesy of: Alpha Kappa Alpha
13 Beautiful Photos Of Kamala Harris & The Women Who Held Her High On Her Journey To History
09
Harris Graduates From Law School in 1989
American Education Week has me thinking about my first-grade teacher, Mrs. Wilson. She sparked my love for learning and was there for me the day I walked across the stage to get my law degree. There are Mrs. Wilson’s all across our nation who are making a difference in children’s lives—and they deserve a raise. As president, I’ll invest in them like they’ve invested in us. – Kamala Harris’ Facebook page
13 Beautiful Photos Of Kamala Harris & The Women Who Held Her High On Her Journey To History
10
A Family Of Phenomenal Women
Kamala Harris with her sister Maya and her niece Meena.
13 Beautiful Photos Of Kamala Harris & The Women Who Held Her High On Her Journey To History
11
Kamala Harris with Her Paternal Grandmother, Beryl, in Jamaica
Kamala Harris with her paternal grandmother, Beryl, in Jamaica. – CNN (Courtesy of Kamala Harris)
13 Beautiful Photos Of Kamala Harris & The Women Who Held Her High On Her Journey To History
12
Sister, Sister!
Kamala Harris enjoys dinner with her sister Maya.
13 Beautiful Photos Of Kamala Harris & The Women Who Held Her High On Her Journey To History
Getty Images
13
U.S. Vice President-Elect, Kamala Harris
13 Beautiful Photos Of Kamala Harris & The Women Who Held Her High On Her Journey To History
TOPICS:  2020 election Joe Biden kamala harris
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2023 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now